Health Team

UNC Health changes mask protocol

UNC Health changed its mask protocol -- days after WRAL News reported the story of a UNC nurse concerned about the lack of masks.

Posted Updated

By
Ken Smith
, WRAL anchor/reporter
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — UNC Health changed its mask protocol -- days after WRAL News reported the story of a UNC nurse concerned about the lack of masks.

The nurse told WRAL News, staffers were having to re-use surgical masks for five 12-hour shifts, storing them in paper bags between shifts.

In a statement to WRAL, UNC REX confirmed starting Monday, the hospital is changing its masks protocol.

Now the hospital will provide what it describes as an extended-use mask after every other shift to all staffers at any UNC Health location.

The hospital added that this is a change from the previous policy of using masks for five shifts, in some cases. The hospital continues to assess its PPE, personal protective equipment, supply.

At this point, Dr. Abhi Mehrotra, with the UNC Health COVID-19 response team, was not able to say how long the hospital's current supply of PPE will last.

The new mask policy will be implemented over the course of the week.

The goal is putting all UNC Health staffers on a two-day mask replacement cycle.

UNC Health says, the hospital will continue to adjust various policies as the coronavirus crisis evolves.

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