Leadership for Healthy People and Communities

COVID-19 Information for Healthcare Professionals

Conserving and Using PPE

The Ohio Department of Health, in alignment with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is working to ensure we have enough Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to provide care for the most vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton, M.D., MPH, strongly recommends the following measures to conserve PPE supply in the state of Ohio:

• For healthcare agencies and providers, consider Surgical Mask and Gown Conservation Strategies from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and CDC to help your supply last longer. Some of these include:
  • Implementing the use of reusable gowns.
  • Prioritize the type of PPE required based on the procedure to be performed.

• Consider changes in your facility to minimize wasted PPE.
  • Consider changing policies around isolation precautions and procedures.
  • Consider implementing cohorting patients in the same room, considering their conditions.
  • Practice batch care so you limit the amount of times you use PPE for the same patients.
     
• If you have extra PPE, consider donating it, to make sure those who need it have enough.
  • If you have some you’d like to donate, first call your local EMA to notify them of the availability of PPE, should it be needed. 
  • You should not drop it off; instead you should hold onto it so that it can be redirected to an area of need, should the need arise.

For more information, visit https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/healthcare-providers-and-local-health-districts/for-healthcare-providers/Preserving-Personal-Protective-Equipment.