CDC: Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of PPE and Equipment
April 10, 2020AUTHORITY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
DATE PRODUCED: Last reviewed April 3, 2020
TYPE: Guidance/Protocol
THE QUESTIONS IT ANSWERS:
- Are homemade masks considered personal protective equipment?
- What should staff do if there is a shortage of facemasks?
- What are key strategies to optimize a limited supply of PPE and equipment?
SHORT DESCRIPTION:
PPE shortages are currently posing a tremendous challenge to the US healthcare system because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare facilities are having difficulty accessing the needed PPE and are having to identify alternate ways to provide patient care. CDC’s optimization strategies for PPE offer options for use when PPE supplies are stressed, running low, or absent.
