On September 18, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted a warning on their website saying that evidence indicated that the SAR-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 could be spread through small airborne particles, not just larger droplets. This was a significant statement since the smaller particles can remain in the air longer than the droplets, increasing the risk of respiratory spread of the virus. On September 20, the CDC removed the warning, raising more fears of the politicization of the agency that the world has relied upon for evidence-based information and recommendations.
Why is this important for the public and for those caring for people who may be infected with SAR-CoV-2 and have COVID-19? Are nurses, other healthcare workers and essential workers being protected with personal protective equipment (PPE) such as N95 respirators or are we still having a problem producing enough PPE?
Diana Mason, PhD, RN, FAAN, host of HealthCetera in the Catskills on WIOX Radio, discussed these issues with Tener Veenema, PhD, RN, FAAN, a Professor of Nursing at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and in the Department of International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Listen here:
