As of March 23, 2020, there are more than 300,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus worldwide, and 14,510 related deaths.[1] In the United States, there are 33,404 confirmed cases.[2] Of these confirmed cases, an increasing number of them are healthcare providers on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19.

While the coronavirus outbreak continues to spread at an unpredictable pace, the risk to healthcare providers increases. It is evident that healthcare workers are some of the most vulnerable to contracting the sickness. Though there are no current statistics about the number of US healthcare providers affected, historical data from previous outbreaks of infectious diseases tell us that healthcare workers experience a disproportionate share of infections.

The table above shows that during the 2003 SARS outbreak, 72% of cases were contracted in a health care setting and 45% of those were health care workers.

The typical strategy to protect healthcare providers and patients from respiratory borne illnesses is using personal protective face masks. However, these masks are not intended to be worn by patients who are suspected of carrying respiratory borne infectious diseases. In fact, these masks can make breathing more difficult for these patients.

Additionally, the requirement for oxygen delivery even in stable patients will conflict with the use of a surgical mask. Filters are an additional tool that can be applied to oxygen delivery devices as a means to reduce exposure to aerosolized contagions, but most pre-hospital services do not carry these filters even if one is warranted.

THE RESCUER II CPAP WITH INSPIRATORY AND EXPIRATORY FILTERS

The Rescuer II Compact CPAP System is the only disposable CPAP with a built-in inspiratory and expiratory filter for infection control, minimizing the risk of infection for patients and healthcare providers.

The Rescuer filter captures 99.997% of 1 um particles (TB and Bacteria) and 99.993% of 0.28 um particles (viruses) that are inhaled and exhaled. When oxygen therapy is required for patients suspected of carrying an infectious disease, the filter may help stop the spread of infection at its source.

The Rescuer II Compact CPAP System is an ideal way to add another layer of protection against exposure.

To learn more about the Rescuer II Disposable CPAP, call 888-891-1200 or email us to be connected to your local sales representative.

MED Alliance Group is a medical device distributor with more than 350 years of combined medical device sales and distribution experience. Dedicated to meeting the needs of its clinical customers and manufacturing partners, MED Alliance offers cost-effective, customized sales, logistics, and distribution solutions for products found in anesthesia/respiratory, blood/transfusion therapy, EMS/emergency room, interventional radiology/cath lab, iv/vascular and NICU/PICU.

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[1] https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200323-sitrep-63-covid-19.pdf?sfvrsn=d97cb6dd_2

[2] https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/cases-in-us.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fcases-in-us.html