Thread by @_CatintheHat

This is Dr Lisa Ritchie who was the Head of Infection Prevention & Control for NHS England & Chair of the IPC Cell.

In this video, she explains why patients should never wear FFP3 masks - even if they are known to be highly infectious or if they are clinically vulnerable…

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The rationale she gives is that FFP3 masks have valves which the infectious particles can ‘leak’ out through.

Surely the obvious next question is:

So why don’t they recommend UNVALVED FFP3 masks for infectious or clinically vulnerable patients?

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Even more bizarre is the fact that, just 20 minutes earlier, she had been shown a document which she herself had co-authored.

This document included IPC guidance for SARS-CoV-1 and *supposedly* formed the initial basis for SARS-CoV-2 (Covid) IPC guidance…

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In this document (which supposedly formed the basis for initial Covid IPC guidance), it clearly states that, for SARS-1:

▪️Main route of transmission was droplets & aerosols

▪️FFP3 masks are REQUIRED & recommended to be worn until patient is no longer considered infectious

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So, as Baroness Hallett points out:

…if FFP3 masks *were* recommended to be worn until patients were no longer considered infectious for SARS-CoV-1…

…and if SARS-CoV-1 was meant to be guiding the initial IPC guidance for Covid…

…why on earth didn’t it?

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We were then shown an extract from Prof Beggs’ report:

“By end of Sept 2020 there was enough moderate certainty evidence to strongly suggest that SARS-CoV-2 could be transmitted via the airborne route, and to justify precautionary measures being taken by health authorities”.

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Counsel then asks: “From the IPC cell's perspective was there ever a point where you collectively reached the view that <airborne transmission> was a significant threat & needed to be guarded against with, for example, routine respirators being used?”

Dr Ritchie: “No.”

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