Abstract
During coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic hand hygiene was one of the most essential preventive practice health care workers (HCWs) due to their frequent washing their hands with sanitizers. Wearing gloves after using hand sanitizers may cause skin irritation and dryness. Wearing masks were effective in reducing the probability of infection with COVID-19, but wearing them for long time cause many problems. This paper was aimed to compare between Saudi and Egyptian HCWs upon using sanitizers and personal protective equipment (PPE) during COVID-19 pandemic. Data was collected through a well-structured questionnaire, among Saudi HCWs (online) and Egyptian HCWs through paper questionnaire interview. The questionnaire consists of 23 questions about Socio-demographic, types of masks, gloves and sanitizers they used during their works. It includes the adverse skin reactions on hands and face upon using PPE for long periods during COVID 19 pandemic. Our results revealed that most of Saudi & Egyptian HCWs wearing surgical masks (57.8% & 63.6%), > N95 (12.9% & 18.2%), using latex surgical gloves (44.9% & 56.8%), > plastic gloves (11.1% & 18.2%) respectively. The most affected area from wearing PPE are hands (49.8% & 54.5%) followed by Auricular area (44% & 40.9%), nasal bridge (28.9% & 22.7%), check (16.9% & 13.6%), whole face (15.6% & 25%) among Saudi & Egyptian HCWs respectively. About 70% of Egyptian HCWs from our participants used alcohol 70% in form of gel as sanitizer which was significantly higher than Saudi HCWs (59.1%). While no significant differences were found from using other sanitizers such as liquid alcohol 70% or Dettol. The most adverse reaction due to using sanitizers was skin dryness (55.1% & 63.6%) among Saudi & Egyptian HCWs respectively. We can conclude that significant increase was found among HCWs in Egypt either in wearing surgical and N95 masks or in wearing surgical and plastic gloves when compared to Saudi HCWs. According to the side effects on hands and face due to wearing PPE among HCWs either from KSA or Egypt, there were some variations by increase or decrease in the percentages. The most adverse reaction due to using sanitizers (specially alcohol 70% in form of gel) was skin dryness.