Outgoing minister De Jonge encourages the use of FFP2 masks in healthcare, although experts do not consider this high-protection mouth cap necessary when in contact with corona patients. The Ministry of Health will offer these mouth-nose masks to healthcare institutions at a low price.
De Jonge made this offer after a discussion arose about the use of the FFP2 masks in light of the more contagious omikron variant. A number of political parties argued in favor of making the mouth caps more widely available.
The Federation of Medical Specialists (FMS) and the Outbreak Management Team (OMT) believe that such a mask is only necessary for so-called aerosol-forming actions. These are medical procedures such as intubation, where a breathing tube is inserted into a patient. In practice, these masks are therefore only used in hospitals.
A surgical mask is sufficient for other contact with Covid patients, the experts say, even if the patient coughs and sneezes. That position remained the same this week after reconsideration.
OMT refers to World Health Organization
The OMT writes in an opinion published today that it is not necessary at this time to adapt the guidelines “after careful consultation of the available scientific evidence and international guidelines, including those from the WHO expert group”.
In a conversation with the NOS, OMT chairman Jaap van Dissel explains: “We follow the advice of the WHO, and it is clear in that. All scientific advice is thoroughly reviewed there. And the view of the WHO that we therefore adopt, is that in most cases the surgical mouth-nose mask is sufficient.”
This is striking, because in the new World Health Organization guideline (WHO), published Dec. 22, has a different opinion. The WHO believes healthcare providers should also wear FFP2 masks in areas with poor ventilation and if they judge it better to protect against infection.
The WHO also sees that there is still little scientific evidence that it protects against infection better than a surgical mask. But the fact that omikron spreads so much faster than delta and that vaccination protects less against the new variant was enough reason for the WHO to adjust its advice. The OMT may not have seen the revised WHO guideline.
–
