PPE during a pandemic: The experience of obtaining PPE and lessons learned from a department of obstetrics and gynecology in New York city.

Overview

The COVID-19 Pandemic is an ongoing crisis that has strained hospitals and health systems around the globe. The provision of personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline healthcare workers is of utmost importance in sustaining an effective response to this crisis. New York City has experienced one of the most devastating outbreaks of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In this article we report the experience of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Columbia University in New York City in managing the supply of PPE for providers and staff during the height of the outbreak. We describe the types of equipment used and aspects of PPE regulation and certification. We also describe our practices in extended use and reuse of PPE in light of the current understanding of the virus characteristics and modes of transmission.