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Can a health care professional provide a list of some basic protective gear to have at home in case you have to care for an ill and contageous family member on your own? Keep in mind the odds of needing it remain low and economy is important. What gowns/masks/gloves/eye protection and other items should one consider acquiring? And where is a good place to get it?

Just sayin' ...

Jumping Frog wrote:Can a health care professional provide a list of some basic protective gear to have at home in case you have to care for an ill and contageous family member on your own? Keep in mind the odds of needing it remain low and economy is important. What gowns/masks/gloves/eye protection and other items should one consider acquiring? And where is a good place to get it?

Well, a Chemturion postitive pressure suit would be ideal, but are you looking to spend that much per person?
Failing that, a good full face respirator with bio cartridges and Tyvek (good) or Saranex (better) coveralls, latex exam gloves under at least dishwashing type gloves, and rubber boots, plus tape to seal the wrists, ankles and face. Even with just dust cartridges, the respirator will protect better than the flat paper masks, since it keeps the fluids away from your face.
Backpack sprayers, lots of chlorine bleach to decon this stuff, and a place to use as a decon area. (Can't eat, drink, use the bathroom, etc. in the gear and it's got to be clean when the time comes to take it off.)

Frankly, not bad stuff to have around anyway. All good for any contagion, and most of it handy for painting or serious bathroom cleaning.

Going out and buying a respirator is not a simple thing, this is why osha requirements are present. One must be fit tested and should be medicly cleared prior to using one.
There are some pretty basic care requirements for them as well.

Also you would want to find a pathogen kit.
Some way to remove and dispose of contaminated items.

Given the choice between contracting Ebola and not wearing a respirator at all, I'll take my chances with the ill fitting respirator along with the medical risk. As for disposing of the hazardous waste... I'll have a heck of a fire in my back yard.

I seem to remember a little ditty from my youth regarding Saran wrap.

Jumping Frog wrote:Can a health care professional provide a list of some basic protective gear to have at home in case you have to care for an ill and contageous family member on your own? Keep in mind the odds of needing it remain low and economy is important. What gowns/masks/gloves/eye protection and other items should one consider acquiring? And where is a good place to get it?

Just sayin' ...

I am not a health care professional.

I received this email from the 3M company.

Enclosed is a link to the Ebola information on the external Personal Safety Division website (http://www.3M.com/PPESafety" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;). The documents on the website include:
• PPE for Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
• Cleaning Reusable Respirators and PAPR Assemblies after Ebola Exposures
• Key differences between respirators and surgical masks
• TDB #231: Respirators and Surgical Masks
• TDB #192: Eye Protection for Infection Control
• TDB #174 Respiratory Protection for Airborne Exposures to Biohazards

There are also links to Ebola related websites (e.g. WHO, CDC).
The site is kept up to date with our most current information. From the PSD homepage, the Ebola section can be found in the lower left corner under 'prepare and protect'. Just click on Ebola virus disease (EVD) and it will take you to the expanded Ebola section.

cheezit wrote:Going out and buying a respirator is not a simple thing, this is why osha requirements are present. One must be fit tested and should be medicly cleared prior to using one.

Maybe I'm just standard shaped, but my "fit testing" always consisted of me adjusting the straps, the tested checking them, and then putting his hand over the inlet to make sure I couldn't suck any air in other than through it.

After a few "oh, it seems like the ammonia/HCl vapor/dead animal stench/whatever has aired out enough that I can take the respirator off...AAACK!...nope, not yet" incidents, I figure it must have been right. If you can't smell something inside it that you can't breathe in without it, it's probably right. Do remember to take a good breath before breaking the seal, (in a chemical situation; bio, you'd better just have guessed right) though, so if you're wrong, you have enough air to (mostly) clear the mask as soon as it's back in place.