Pa asesiad y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud o oblygiadau canllawiau interim Sefydliad Iechyd y Byd ar 19 Mawrth 2020 o ran ei bolisïau mewn perthynas ag atal a rheoli heintiau ym maes gofal iechyd pan fo amheuaeth o coronafeirws?
The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) guidance from 27th February, also updated on 19th March has been considered by a UK group for which Wales is represented by Public Health Wales, in the development of the UK COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control (IP&C) guidance. The UK guidance is consistent with the WHO’s recommendations.
Specifically the IP&C guidance being implemented in Wales recognises the mode of transmission of the virus – by contact and droplet spread in the main and the arrangement of care, the social distancing and the use of PPE according to setting and risk is completely consistent with the WHO guidance. The WHO has commented on the protective measures and that its recommendations and those in use in the UK are consistent.
A scientific brief published by the WHO on 29 March (link below), continues to recommend that based on the available evidence, droplet and contact precautions for those people caring for COVID-19 patients and contact and airborne precautions for circumstances and settings in which aerosol generating procedures are performed.
These recommendations are consistent with other national and international guidelines, including those developed by the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine and Society of Critical Care Medicine and those currently used in Australia, Canada, and United Kingdom
The UK guidance does however, have some marginal differences from the WHO guidance, these are: the UK recommends FFP3 respirators for use during higher risk procedures however does state that FFP2 can be used if FFP3 are not available, following a rapid HSE review. Secondly the WHO recommends full arm gowns when seeing any suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19. The UK guidance also recommends full arm gowns in high risk procedures and aprons for other procedures, which is consistent with the UK ‘bare below the elbow’ policy as part of our long-term strategy to reduce healthcare associated infections and effective hand hygiene.
The changes made to our NHS services, including the expansion of the NHS111 services, the implementation and training around the IP&C guidance and a huge effort to procure more PPE has ensured that the principles of minimising the need for PPE; using PPE appropriately and co-ordinating supply in Wales has been undertaken in line with the WHO guidance.