PPE kit with goggles to be done away with; govt issues guidelines for reuse

According to the advisory, reprocessing must be done after every use and before using it again

The central government on Wednesday issued a standard operating procedure (SoP) for reuse of goggles without risk of contracting coronavirus infection. Goggle's have come to be a crucial component of personal protective equipment (PPE) Kits.

To begin with, the centre decided that the kitting of the PPEs with goggles will be done away with. Additionally, all goggles that conform to prescribed EN or BIS specifications will be re-used, however, after disinfection, it has been decided.

Meanwhile, the SoP clearly states that reprocessing and reuse of goggles must be done only when it is dedicated to each individual. In that case, names are advised to be written over the bands.

Reprocessing must be done after every use before using it again, says the advisory while asking the users to adhere to manufacturer's instructions for cleaning and disinfection of goggles, wherever available.

However, if such instructions are not available, the Centre has come up with four of its own suggestions: "While wearing gloves, clean goggles with soap/detergent and water and then immerse in 1 per cent freshly prepared sodium hypochlorite for 10 minutes. Wash/wipe the inside and outside of goggles with clean water to remove residue," says the advisory. 

According to the advisory, it also must be air-dried completely on a clean flat surface or by hanging in a clean place, or to use clean tissue papers gauge to dry it. For its storage purposes, the government suggested a paper bag or in a clean area to avoid any recontamination. However, a basic that is often forgotten too is reiterated is the SoP - Remove gloves and perform hand hygiene.

Meanwhile, the Centre warned extended use doesn't amount to infinite use. "Eye protection must be discarded if damaged/rendered optically non-clear on repeated usage," cautioned the Centre on Wednesday.

Goggles to be disinfected by users and re-used at least five times each, whereby one pair of goggles will suffice for 6 days.