A member of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, William D. Jones, MD, constantly updates his knowledge on public health. Based in Oklahoma City, OK, William D. Jones, MD, focuses on issues that include sourcing personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers in response to COVID-19.

Though the amount of PPE an employee uses in a healthcare facility will depend on the risk of COVID-19 exposure in their particular workplace, commonalities exist in how to properly wear it. The order a user puts on PPE minimizes contamination before use as well as contamination to the user from preexisting viral load on their hands and face. The gown, covering the wearer from the knees to the neck, goes on first, tied on at the waist and neck, followed by the respirator or mask, the bands secured around the head and or behind the ears. Lastly, the user adjusts goggles so they fit properly, and puts on gloves so they cover the wrists of the gown.

There are a couple of ways to take off the PPE. The first is to start by removing the gloves, followed by the goggles (without touching their surface), turning the gown inside out, and removing the mask. The second is to use gloved hands to pull on the front of the gown until the ties break, and to peel off the gloves at the same time, so the contaminated gloves remain inside the rolled-up gown. The removal process concludes by disposing of goggles and respirator.