FAQs on Shortages of Surgical Masks and Gowns During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Q: Can respirators approved under standards used in other countries, such as KN95, be used in the South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic?

A: Yes. The government is working diligently to mitigate any potential shortages in the supply chain and taking action to assure health care personnel on the front lines have sufficient supplies of respiratory protective devices. 

 Q: How can manufacturers of personal protective equipment (PPE) who may be considering increasing availability of these products to the South African market engage with the government?

A: The need by healthcare providers and personnel for personal protective equipment (PPE) such as surgical masks and surgical and isolation gowns, may outpace the supply during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.

 Q: Do gowns and surgical mask provide protection from coronavirus?

A: Gowns and surgical masks are intended to provide broad barrier protection.

 Q: Can we use expired gowns and surgical masks? Do they offer the protection needed?

A: These products were designed to serve as protective barriers and thus they may still offer some protection even when they are used beyond the manufacturer’s designated shelf life or expiration date. The user should visibly inspect the product prior to use and if there are concerns (such as degraded materials or visible tears) the product should be discarded. As a conventional capacity strategy, expired products may be used for training and demonstration purposes where barrier protection is not needed. 

 Q: Can I reuse a cloth gown?

A: Yes. Cloth gowns that will not be used in a sterile field, such as surgery, can be reused if they are laundered in enzymatic detergent or per the hospital’s SOP.