The situation of covid-19 has made everyone use personal protective equipment and infection control wipes or sprays like sanitisers. PPE gowns are also known as isolation gowns, mainly used by frontline or health care workers to prevent themselves from fluid penetration, infectious droplets, and solids. During these times of crisis, thousands of isolation gowns are used per day, but before you use them, there are several things that you need to know and consider. 

What Are Isolation Gowns, And What Are Their Categories?

The main purpose of isolation gowns is to protect frontline workers from solids and infectious diseases and prevent bacterias and germs. Mainly there are two different categories of isolation gowns that include surgical and non-surgical.

Surgical Gown

Surgical gowns are the protective garments that healthcare workers wear at the time of surgical procedures. Wearing surgical gowns protects both health care personnel and a patient from the transfer of body fluids, microorganisms, and other matter. 

Non-surgical Gown

Non-surgical gowns are also known as isolation gowns that anyone can wear to prevent the transmission of microorganisms, and these don’t work during invasive procedures or surgical procedures.

What’s More Important: Product Label Or Product Name?

It is essential to know that a product label should be considered more than the product name. Especially if we talk about isolation gowns, you may find different product names similar to isolation gowns: procedural gowns, nursing gowns, or isolation gowns. Instead of paying attention to product names, which are the same things, it is important to pay attention to the utility or function of the product and the level of protection it provides. Utility, function, and level of protection can be optimised from packaging or product labels. 

What To Consider While Choosing Isolation Gowns For Healthcare Workers?

Three specific things must be considered while choosing isolation gowns:

Purpose

During the outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic, the main objective is to protect health care workers from the spread of the virus with which patients are affected. Fluid resistance is quite important for frontline workers. 

Material 

Do you know the material used in isolation gowns? The isolation gowns are mainly made up of synthetic materials, polypropylene or polyethylene, or cotton. Some also produce isolation gowns that are latex-free. The best type of isolation gowns comprises synthetic materials as they are better at blocking fluids. People prefer synthetic isolation gowns more instead of cotton material as that doesn’t help prevent the spread of covid-19. 

Clean

Especially if we talk about covid-19, a clean isolation gown must be used instead of sterile gowns. Sterile gowns are specifically used for surgical and invasive procedures.  

How the gown is put and removed affects its potential and effectiveness during the covid-19 pandemic. The isolation gowns must be chosen appropriately as these are available in different materials, fits and sizes.