Surgical masks not effective for airborne flu
The US Institute of Medicine, in a 2007 report said that without knowing the contributions of each of the possible route(s) of transmission of flu, including swine flu, all routes must be considered probable and consequential, and healthcare workers must be protected from all routes of exposure. Respirators are the only PPE designed to protect against airborne exposures. Surgical or procedure masks will not protect against airborne flu exposure. The US Institute of Medicine report, Preparing for an Influenza Pandemic: Personal Protective Equipment for Healthcare Workers, can be found at http://www.iom.edu/CMS/3740/29908/46095.aspx . This clip is from the Australian Government Department of Health and Aging’s DVD "Pandemic Infuenza Preparedness, Safe Use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)". Downloadable clips from this DVD are available at http://www.health.gov.au/internet/panflu/publishing.nsf/Content/safeuse-dvd-1
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