Acute stress reaction related to use of personal protective equipment in health-care workers

Addressing stigma in infectious disease outbreaks: a crucial step in pandemic preparedness

“…Risk communication that singles out specific demographics or regions, as observed with COVID-19 (16), SARS (17), and mpox (18), may contribute to intersectional stigma for high risk groups. Hazmat suits and other personal protective equipment can create a sense of otherness for both patients and healthcare workers across outbreak settings (13,19,20). Additionally, the prohibition of traditional burial practices, a common measure for infection control in Ebola (21) and Nipah virus outbreaks (22), is viewed as disrespectful and stigmatizing in certain communities.…”