The Renfrew Paramedic Service has discovered paramedics have been using non-medical grade masks while on the job during the COVID-19 paramedic.
The masks were in use by paramedics for up to a week at the end of May. A member of the paramedic service noticed the error when they saw the box the masks were store in which stated “non-medical”.
The incorrect masks were only put in use as back-ups since the surgical grade masks they had been using kept breaking where the ear band connected to the mask.
Via contact tracing, the six members of the public required further COVID-19 testing along with the paramedics. According to Renfrew Paramedic Chief, no new cases of COVID-19 were detected because of using the wrong masks. The error occurred via the Renfrew Paramedic Service’s logistics chain, which has been ordering masks from several suppliers due to the low amount available.
The non-medical masks have since been taken out of circulation. Every paramedic does have a certified N95 mask, but due to the limited supply, they only wear them in extreme circumstances now.
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https://www.healthline.com/health-news/face-masks-importance-battle-with-covid19