Wound cleansing and the application of adequate phase-oriented wound dressings are an important line of defence against surgical site infections (SSI), a serious complication which affects millions of patients every year. Dressings not only act as a physical barrier to avoid wound contamination but can actively support the healing process. It is hard to find something more vital to mankind than he...

Background SARS-CoV-2 infection is transmitted predominately by inhalation of respiratory droplets generated when people cough, sneeze, sing, talk, or breathe. CDC recommends community use of masks, specifically non-valved multi-layer cloth masks, to prevent transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Masks are primarily intended to reduce the emission of virus-laden droplets (“source control”), which is especial...

Q:ls there a difference between a face mask, a barrier face covering, a surgical mask, anda respirator? A: Face masks, barrier face coverings, surgical masks, and respirators all cover a wearer's nose and mouth, but they differ in several aspects. *Face masks: A mask, with or without a face shield, that covers the user's nose and mouth and may or may not meet fluid barrier or filtration efficiency...

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the risk to healthcare workers has skyrocketed. According to Massachusetts General Hospital, “Compared with the general community, frontline health care workers had an 11.6-times higher risk of testing positive [for COVID-19] and those who reported that they had inadequate access to PPE had a 23% higher risk.” The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states tha...