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Celik, et al.
1 Introduction advise the use of personal PPE for respiratory,
eye/mouth/face, body, and hand protection while
On December 31, 2019, the World Health interacting with COVID-19 patients to avoid or
Organization (WHO) Country Office in China minimize any likely contact, droplet, and airborne
was informed of cases of pneumonia which had transmission [6-8] . The WHO also published a guide
unknown etiology from Wuhan City, Hubei on the recommended types of PPE to be used in
Province of China. Following the identification the context of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus causing
and confirmation of a new type of coronavirus COVID19), according to the setting, personnel,
called 2019-nCoV by the Chinese authorities , and type of activity .
[1]
[9]
the WHO officially named the disease caused For instance, the research carried out with cough
by the coronavirus as coronavirus disease aerosol and breathing simulators loaded with
(COVID)-19, which stands for “COVID 2019” influenza virus (aerosol volume mean diameter of
on February 11, 2020 , and declare the pandemic 8.5 μm) indicated 96% and 92% reductions in the
[2]
on March 11, 2020 . Since the date of the first risk of inhalational exposure immediately after a
[3]
case of this virus spreading, the world has been cough if a face shield at distances of 46 cm and
struggling with this emergent state. During this 183 cm was used, respectively. In the case of a
period, international and national authorities have smaller aerosol diameter of 3.4 μm, the protection
been announcing public advice and putting in of the face shield is 68% at 46 cm immediately
place legal regulations regarding social behavioral after the cough, and the protection rate decreases
habits and the use of personal protective equipment to 23% over 1 – 30 min post-cough (in the case of
(PPE) for public and health-care services. During remaining airborne particles) .
[10]
this pandemic, health-care institutions have It is understood that, in addition to face shield
become one of the most hazardous environments equipment, the use of surgical masks such as N95,
to work in, especially for healthcare workers filtering facepiece (FPP2), and FFP3 will give
(HW) who deliver care and services to the sick more effective and thorough protection during
and ailing either directly as medical doctors and closer HW-patient interaction. Although there
nurses or indirectly as aides, helpers, laboratory are risky cases for airborne transmitted viruses
technicians, or even medical waste handlers, who (which could have the ability to remain in the air
are considered to be in the high-risk groups . The for extended periods), in the case of larger aerosol
[4]
outbreaks of serious airborne infectious diseases, droplet explosion, face shield (visor) products
such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), which have a simple design and manufacturable
Avian Influenza and now the COVID-19, as well features would provide superior protection.
as severe infectious agents associated with body This face shield (visor) equipment could be
fluid exposures (e.g., Ebola virus) have called for designed and produced for single-use (disposable)
increased attention to face/eye protection as the or reusable following disinfection. In fact, before
face is the most common body part exposed to the this pandemic, millions of HW, dental providers,
acutely-expelled aerosols of patient body fluids veterinary care personnel, laboratory workers,
during HW-patient interaction . pre-hospital emergency medical providers, police,
[5]
Although it is understood that wearing a firefighters, and custodial staff dealing with
surgical face mask may provide protection spills and contaminated waste have already been
during distanced interaction in the patient’s room classified as the potential users of face shields. In
between the HW and patient who has suspected addition to meeting the demand of this pre-existing
or confirmed COVID19, the use of additional group of face shield users, the need for this type of
PPE for closer operations potentially involving PPE in many countries, including Turkey and the
acutely-expelled aerosols of body fluids would United Kingdom, has increased drastically since
be a necessity. Therefore, many international and the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 3, 2020, the
national health service authorities/organizations WHO expressed the concern over the shortage of

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