In the face of continued personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages, the Joint Commission issued a statement this week in support of allowing health care personnel to bring their own “standard face masks or respirators” to work when their employers cannot routinely provide access to this equipment. The statement did not endorse the routine use of homemade masks, which it termed “an extreme measure” to be used “only when standard PPE of proven protective value is unavailable.” The statement also summarized the evidence used in developing the commission’s mask policy. A blog post by the Joint Commission chief nursing officer emphasized its personnel are “working around the clock” to find a solution to PPE shortages.
