INMO welcomes face mask policy in health service
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has welcomed the mandating of face masks in all settings for healthcare workers.
The new change applies to any healthcare workers who provide care within 2m of a patient.
It also applies to any of their colleagues who come within 2m for more than 15 minutes.
The INMO says this will mean nearly all frontline healthcare workers will wear face masks.
The INMO added that they “wrote to the Chief Clinical Officer on April 3 calling for this new measure to be rolled out, and has repeatedly made the case for it to become national policy.”
INMO General Secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha, said they are glad the measure has been introduced.
“This is welcome news to frontline staff and patients, which should ease some anxiety and reduce transmission of the virus,” she said.
“This should have been rolled out weeks ago, but we are glad to have finally secured this measure.
“It will not only benefit frontline healthcare workers, but will reduce the risk of transmission to patients.
“The next step must be ensuring sufficient supplies are available for all health workers, and continuous PPE training where needed.”
