Change the current guidance of PPE regulations for NHS staff caring for COVID-19 · petition

What the petition asks

Public Health England have issued advice that all none high risk procedures involving COVID-19 patients only require staff to wear surgical face masks (and apron, gloves or eye wear if app.). To date Italy has had 13 doctors who have died, in addition to other health care workers who were exposed.

Despite the extensive measures taken by Italy regarding PPE, they have seen seen a sharp incline in occupational exposure related illness and even death.

The NHS front line staff will not tolerate being put into this position. We are scared, we are united and we will refuse to treat anybody unless it is safe to do so.

Therefore we would like the government to review the recommended PPE with immediate effect and upgrade it in line with evidence from other countries such as Italy.

Why it was rejected

There was already a petition about this issue. Duplicates are rejected so signatures collect in one place.

You may wish to sign this petition calling for the same action: Provide adequate PPE equipment for medical professionals working with COVID-19

Advice on the use of personal protective equipment is a matter for Public Health England, not the Government or Parliament.

You can find out more about coronavirus and how you can protect yourself and others here:

NHS website: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
UK Government website: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

You can read NHS tips to help if you are worried about coronavirus here: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-anxiety-tips

You may also be interested to know that because of the large number of petitions that have been started in relation to coronavirus, the Petitions Committee has been questioning the Government about its response to the coranavirus outbreak.

Find out more and watch the Committee put questions suggested by petitioners to Government Ministers and the Deputy Chief Medical Officer: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/news/145767/committee-question-deputy-chief-medical-officer-and-ministers-on-coronavirus-response/

Read letters asking further questions of Government Ministers: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/publications/3/correspondence/

Timeline

22 Mar 2020	Petition opened for signatures
31 Mar 2020	Rejected by the Petitions Committee