Beards ban for health workers
Monday September 21 2009
NEW guidelines for health staff looking after swine flu patients have a stark warning for those with facial hair.
The guidelines warn that if they carry out certain procedures on infected patients which can make them cough or sneeze the health care worker has to ensure they are clean shaven.
This is because they have to wear a tightly fitting facial mask which will not provide protection if they have a beard, side burns or facial stubble.
The guidelines clearly state that staff who will be in this level of close contact with flu infected patients have to arrive for their shift entirely clean-shaven.
In a special section for staff with facial hair and beards, it says that those with "excessive facial hair" cannot expect the face mask to provide protection unless they are clean-shaven.
"Therefore, healthcare workers with facial hair, including stubble, are advised to remove it at the beginning of a shift" if they are likely to be exposed to infection due to the procedures they have to perform for swine flu patients.
