Facial Protective Equipment, Personnel, and Pandemics: Impact of the Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Virus on Personnel and Use of Facial Protective Equipment

BACKGROUND: Before the emergence of the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus, estimates of the stockpiles of facial protective equipment (FPE) and the impact that information had on personnel during a pandemic varied. OBJECTIVE: To describe the impact of H1N1 on FPE use and hospital employee absenteeism. Setting. One tertiary care hospital and 2 community hospitals in the Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) region, Vancouver, Canada. Patients. All persons with influenza-like illness admitted to the 3 VCH facilities during the period from June 28 through December 19, 2009. METHODS: Data on patients and on FPE use were recorded prospectively. Data on salaried employee absenteeism were recorded during the period from August 1 through December 19, 2009. RESULTS: During the study period, 865 patients with influenza-like illness were admitted to the 3 VCH facilities. Of these patients, 149 (17.2%) had laboratory-confirmed H1N1 influenza infection. The mean duration of hospital stay for these patients was 8.9 days, and the mean duration of intensive care unit stay was 9.2 days. A total of 134,281 masks and 173,145 N95 respirators (hereafter referred to as respirators) were used during the 24-week epidemic, double the weekly use of both items, compared with the previous influenza season. A ratio of 3 masks to 4 respirators was observed. Use of disposable eyewear doubled. Absenteeism mirrored the community epidemiologic curve, with a 260% increase in sick calls at the epidemic peak, compared with the nadir. CONCLUSION: Overall, FPE use more than doubled, compared with the previous influenza season, with respirator use exceeding literature estimates. A significant proportion of FPE resources were used while managing suspected cases. Planners should prepare for at least a doubling in mask and respirator use, and a 3.6-fold increase in staff sick calls.