Vital workers must be protected against viral threats so that critical functions of society can continue during a global pandemic. Globally, COVID-19 revealed weaknesses in the personal protective equipment (PPE) enterprise including production and distribution limitations, counterfeit and poor-quality products, and inadequate stockpiles. End users struggled with design limitations that often reduced the level of protection they were afforded and made completing their work more difficult. Moreover, requirements for PPE that could protect against a future pandemic involving a feasible, worst-case pathogen were under-characterized. This study strives to identify strategies to prepare the world for the next pandemic by ensuring that vital workers have the PPE they need to perform their jobs safely.
Vital workers must be protected against viral threats so that critical functions of society can continue during a global pandemic. Globally, COVID-19 revealed weaknesses in the personal protective equipment (PPE) enterprise including production and distribution limitations, counterfeit and poor-quality products, and inadequate stockpiles. End users struggled with design limitations that often reduced the level of protection they were afforded and made completing their work more difficult. Moreover, requirements for PPE that could protect against a future pandemic involving a feasible, worst-case pathogen were under-characterized. This study strives to identify strategies to prepare the world for the next pandemic by ensuring that vital workers have the PPE they need to perform their jobs safely.