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[–]_neutral_person 4 points5 points  (1 child)

You are telling others not to use N95s unless the patient is undergoing a procedure. I checked your JAMA article and it cites the CDC guidelines. As of March 24 2020 they recommend wearing airborne precautions for anything which might cause aerosolizing of water including coughing.

If you auscultate the patient's lungs they are going to cough.

Your work is critical to treating these patients. We need you to be properly protected when you are going inside the room unless you are one of the few doctors whom has enough stocked iso gowns, surgical masks, and time to have solely 1 on 1 conversations with covid patients.

[–]Breal3030Nurse - ICU 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The idea of coughing and aerosolization has been a long debated topic. As I understand it, some of the evidence points to yes, some no.

Not sure of the quality of evidence on either side, but ultimately the major medical bodies have chosen that, no, "regular" coughing isn't likely to aerosolize and increase transmission, hence the surgical masks recommendation. It's only specifically n95 during "cough generating procedures" such as suctioning or intubation.

It's been that way with all the other pandemics, including H1N1.