JOIN USPPE kits in demand
PPE kits is a phrase that has been thrown around since the beginning of the pandemic. The set of items that form a basic kit include a full body cover, shoe covers, masks, face shield and gloves.
They are meant to give an added layer of security to those working in close proximity to the virus.
This may be anyone from healthcare workers to airport staff.
But with the rise in cases the demand for PPE kits have grown out of fear. Common folk are trying to get their hands on a kit ‘just in case’.
To this end everyone from Amazon to local pharmacies are now selling these kits. With a rise in the number of manufacturers, the government has urged people to only buy from approved companies.
Some key things you can look out for while buying a kit is a stamp of approval from either the South India Textile Research Association (SITRA) or the Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO).
Some approved manufacturers include Alok Industries, JCT Phagwara, Gokaldas Exports and Aditya Birla.
Cost
While you can get kits for as low as Rs 500 online, the average price offline is closer to Rs 1,000. Checking reviews are always a good idea while buying online but do look for the earlier mentioned seals of approval.
Both disposable and washable kits are available online on e-commerce websites. If you are looking for larger quantities, bulk orders are also available on some sites.
Offline buying
Local pharmacies say that there is a real demand for these kits. Many who are buying are the ones who have to be out near danger zones like hospitals, says pharmacists.
Most are selling kits which the manufacturers have termed as disposable but the store managers say they can be reused. “After wearing it once all you need to do is sanitise with a disinfectant spray and dry it in the sun,” says a pharmacist when asked what the procedure for reuse is. When asked how many times one can reuse he nonchalantly said that you can do it as many times as you want to.
Reuse guidelines
Certain parts of the kit such as the face shield and the mask, depending on the make, may be reusable. But as per FDA guidelines reuse of the rest of this kit is not advised.
In case of a severe shortage of PPEs among health workers AIIMS had issued guidelines for reuse. Coveralls and N95 masks can be decontaminated using doubling dilution of 11 per cent hydrogen peroxide vapour in a sealed room while face shields and goggles can be decontaminated using 0.5 per cent sodium hypochlorite solution and 70 per cent alcohol. They also issued a warning decontamination is not recommended as there were concerns that it might bring down the effectiveness of the kit, especially the respirator.