PLEASE support HEALTH PROFESSIONALS to be allowed to wear INNOVATIVE PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)!

We as HEALTH PROFESSIONALS are currently risking our lives to serve the sick. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) funded  by the New Zealand Ministry of Health (NZMoH) and supplied by District Health Boards (DHBs) is precious and exhaustive in quantity. As HEALTH PROFESSIONALS we would like the opportunity to protect ourselves by being permitted to wear INNOVATIVE PPE (e.g. homemade facemasks, etc.). Health Consumers may also benefit when being cared for by Health Professionals. The ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO REDUCE THE TRANSMISSION OF PATHOGENS (e.g. CORONAVIRUS) and therefore REDUCE THE ECONOMIC and PERSONAL IMPACT THIS PANDEMIC IS HAVING ON AOTEAROA. There are growing CONCERNS FROM HEALTH PROFESSIONALS WORLDWIDE that there exists BARRIERS that are IMPACTING ON SOME HEALTH PROFESSIONALS to be able to freely access PPE without being OSTRACIZED or MADE TO FEEL GUILTY for doing the right thing. Some of these barriers are due to LIMITED SUPPLIES OF PPE, and some are due to other reasons. This request is NOT UNREASONABLE, we SHOULD BE ABLE TO WEAR INNOVATIVE PPE (much the same as we are permitted to wear a variety of enclosed footwear to work.

Sarah Rupe    Contact the author of the petition