I work in healthcare. It bothers me when people feel the need to do a full gown, gloves,mask, goggles, shoe covers, hair nets just to even walk into the persons room. I think what makes me very angry is when people say this person does not belong in a home, “there is a special place for people like him/her”
So please explain how it destroys the human body and what should I actually worry about.
I do not believe some of the PPE is necessary.
In: Biology
HIV does not “destroy the human body”. What it does it it attacks and destroys a specific type of cell in the immune system, which, over time, causes the immune system to weaken, making the infected person susceptible to infections that a healthy person could fight off. With a compromised immune system, these infections can be life threatening or fatal.
I don’t know where you work or live so I can’t speak to why people are using that level of PPE, but HIV transmission can only occur through contact with an infected persons blood, semen, pre-seminal fluids, rectal fluids, vaginal fluids, or breast milk. Saliva does not transmit HIV. If you’re a healthcare worker who might come into contact with an HIV+ person’s bodily fluids, gloves are sufficient protection, assuming proper cleaning and disposal of medical waste. Masks, goggles, shoe covers, and hair nets are unnecessary even to be in close contact with an HIV+ person, let alone just to be in the same room as them.
The PPE could, however, be for the benefit of patient, and I imagine that’s actually the case in what you’re seeing. People who have AIDS (AIDS is what it’s called when HIV destroys the immune system to a significant degree), are at a huge risk for contracting infections that a healthy person could fight off, so it’s important to limit their exposure to potential infections as much as possible.
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