Covid-19 and PPE: How it started, how it’s going

I am sure we all welcomed the news that the transmission risk of Covid-19 is now comparatively lower than it was during the first wave of the pandemic back in 2020. However, those initial expectations thrust upon us in order to limit transmission of the virus in our dental surgeries were overwhelming, and I admit I was very nervous about returning to work.

Uncertainty and confidence

The uncertainty was unsettling and it was daunting to know that so much had to change in such little time. However, reassurance came in the form of Zoom team meetings and the extra training to help us understand how to minimise the transmission risks of Covid-19, and this gave us the impetus to carry on. I was faced with many more responsibilities too, but the main focus was to keep staff and patients safe. We did this by facilitating social distancing rules, having the necessary extra personal protective equipment (PPE) available, ventilating rooms and keeping cleaning standards high.