It is essential to adopt COVID-19 prevention measures in the workplace that allow people to (con)live and work with health, safety and well-being.
It is therefore vital that each company (re)assesses the risks and adopts the necessary measures to prevent and protect against infection by SARS-CoV-2, in order to safeguard the provision of work in conditions of hygiene, safety and health for all workers, as advocated by the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, the Labor Code and the Basic Health Law.
One of the most frequently asked questions regarding personal protective equipment is whether to wear a mask and/or visor.
Does a visor replace a mask?
The visor does not dispense with the use of a mask, it complements it.
The visor effectively protects the eyes and nose, but does not protect against droplets expelled through sneezing, coughing or even talking.
The most effective method of protection (endorsed by both health authorities and the medical community) is wearing a mask.
Under what circumstances is it permitted to wear a visor only?
The use of a visor without a mask should only be adopted in exceptional circumstances, where the person is unable to wear a mask for health reasons, for example.
The use of visors, as a direct alternative to masks, can represent a public health risk.
Don’t forget the other protection measures
The other preventive measures, such as hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette and social distancing, cannot be neglected due to the obligation to wear a mask.
In the text of the legislation that imposes the use of a mask in enclosed spaces, Decree-Law no. 10-A/2020 , article 13 B, the visor is mentioned as an alternative to the mask, but the DGS itself does not recommend its use in isolation.
Useful Links :
https://covid19.min-saude.pt/viseira-nao-dispensa-utilizacao-de-mascara/
https://covid19.min-saude.pt/dispositivos-medicos-e-equipamentos-de-protecao-individual/
https://www.sns24.gov.pt/tema/doencas-infecciosas/covid-19/prevencao/#sec-3
Photo: Ian Langsdon/AP, The Guardian newspaper
