Minus the gloves, this is some of the protective gear dentists have been using to treat emergency dental patients. Dr. Vitoratos says respirator masks like the one pictured above are being used due to short supply of N-95s. (Image Credit: Kent Simmonds / CFJC Today)

By Dylana Kneeshaw

BC RESTART PLAN

Services returning in Phase Two of B.C. Restart Plan waiting for PPE requirement specifics

May 12, 2020 | 4:39 PM

KAMLOOPS — Should transmission rates continue to lower, the B.C. Government’s second phase of re-opening services and businesses will begin next week. More people will be going out to stores and appointments, so extra cleaning and protective equipment will be needed.

Bob Dieno owns Nutech Fire Protection and Safety Services and says getting ahold of supplies has been tricky.

“If they start requiring everybody to wear N-95 masks there’s going to be nobody going back to work because it’s just a product that’s not available right now.”

Dieno says the KN95 masks recently found to not be in line with Canada’s requirements for medical grade gear have created a snag in plans for some businesses and services to resume.

One Man's Opinion

COLLINS: Are the B.C. Conservatives digging their own graves?

17h ago

Sound Off

SOUND OFF: Culturally appropriate food goes beyond the ingredients on a plate

Dec 14, 2024

Two and Out

PETERS: Whether building up or tearing down, Kamloops is what you make it

Dec 13, 2024

“They do not filter out 95 per cent of the particulates. And the reason being, (I know) because I do the fit testing, is because typically the ear loops or the straps are not tight enough,” Dieno explains, “So they do not fit on your face securely enough so it leaks through the mask. It’s not that the material is wrong, its just that they’re honestly not tight enough.”

He figures the masks may be able to be remanufactured to fit properly, but many people in health care services have already shelled out hundreds of dollars on supplies they cannot use.

Suppliers have had difficulty getting equipment through their usual large-scale manufacturers, but Dieno says they’ve been able to go through smaller operations that have converted to make the protective gear.

“We do have pleated disposable masks, kind of like a surgical mask. Which, it sounds like may be good for some of them, so we’ll have that. We do have some disposable coveralls, which we’ll be able to use. We are getting hand sanitizer in now, which took months.”

Wearing a mask and gloves to grocery shop has become more common, but those who fit workers with this equipment say most people could use some education around how to use masks and remove gloves properly.

Dieno recalls seeing a customer in a grocery store wearing gloves and a mask, but rendered them ineffective in the check out line as she answered a call on her cell phone, and took off her mask with the used gloves.

“Masks need to be worn properly. To use them effectively you should not take them off until you’re out of a store in your own car,” Dieno stresses, “If you are wearing gloves, if you’re touching your face and everything with gloves you’ve just worn for the last hour then it’s no better than bare hands.”

Cleaning suppliers are also preparing for more inquiries in the coming weeks, as the products have already been a hot commodity during the pandemic.

Cleanway Supply owner Mike Moonie says they’ve been working with their existing client base and essential services to keep their cleaning needs met. They’ve had several calls about new clientele looking for items, but Moonie says they have been focusing on keeping essential services stocked before moving on to new customers.

“There’s been a lot of increase with a lot ot things. All the disinfection, sanitizing, protection, PPE stuff. People are going through absurd amounts right now,” Moonie says, “I think it’s starting to calm down a little bit, and the fear is waning. People are learning how to address their own protection a little better.”

Elective surgeries, hair salons, restaurants, and dental offices are among the services that would return under Phase Two. But some of those returning service providers are concerned about getting enough protective equipment to operate.

Dr. Perry Vitoratos owns the Riverside Dental Clinic in Kamloops and says they still need to hear from their college about what sort of PPE they’ll need to open safely.

“I think we need to know that once our dental supply companies have the N95 masks, and have the gowns, and have all the equipment that our college is going to be recommending, then we’ll be able to open,” he notes, “We’re all wanting to open, we all want to treat our patients as quickly as possible, but that’ll be the limiting factor.”

At the moment, Vitoratos says emergency dental procedures are done with staff wearing advanced protective gear such as respirators, surgical gowns, or hazmat suits.

When clients return, he says it’ll be a slow process to get through the backlog of deferred appointments, and emergency situations.

A number of safety adjustments will be made at his practice, including heightened PPE for staff, and a plexiglass barrier at the front desk. Before entering, Vitoratos says patients will be asked about whether they’ve had any symptoms of the virus, or had any contact with others who have COVID-19.

“People are going to be wearing masks, people are going to be wearing (face shield) visors, some sort of gown or big smock or lab coat,” he says, “Anything we do is to keep our patients safe, and our team safe.”

There isn’t a specific equipment list from the province for what various services will need to protect their staff and the public, and those in that Phase Two category are hoping for clarity by next week.