Question reference: S5W-28617
- Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 21 April 2020
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Current status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 3 June 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how many vulnerable people receiving personal care might have contracted COVID-19 from a care worker not wearing a protective mask.
Answer
We do not collect this information. It would also be almost impossible to determine whether the single factor in someone contracting COVID-19 is because a care worker didn’t wear a protective mask.
Our national PPE guidance https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-infection-prevention-and-control/covid-19-personal-protective-equipment-ppe is very clear that all care workers who are providing direct care to, or visit, any individuals in the extremely vulnerable group, or where a member of the household is within the extremely vulnerable group undergoing shielding, should wear a face mask. This was also agreed in the joint statement between COSLA, SJC Unions and I on 9 April that this guidance makes clear that social and home carer workers can wear a fluid resistant face mask along with other appropriate PPE, if they consider this necessary to protect themselves and those they are caring for.
The recognised sustained transmission of COVID-19, table 4 of the PPE guidance also enables the risk assessment of use of PPE - including aprons, gowns, face masks and eye protection - when providing direct care and support to anyone who is not currently a possible nor confirmed COVID-19 case.