Final answer:
The first step in containment may not necessarily be to ask those without PPE to leave an area, as the initial focus is often on assessing the situation and ensuring that everyone is protected with appropriate safety equipment. Priority is given to the use of PPE and implementing immediate control measures to prevent the spread of infectious agents.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement, "The first step in the containment procedure is to ask people who are not wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) to leave the area", could potentially be true depending on the specific protocols of the health facility or containment guidelines in place. However, the very first action in a containment protocol typically involves assessing the situation and applying immediate control measures, which may include the use of PPE by all individuals in the area, not just asking unprepared individuals to leave.
In scenarios such as dealing with highly contagious diseases, containment procedures often start with ensuring that anyone who could be exposed is properly protected with PPE, such as protective suits, masks, gloves, and eye protection, to prevent the spread of infection. Health workers and microbiologists understand that preventing microbial transmission is key to controlling an outbreak, much like washing hands can significantly reduce the spread of illness by preventing microbe transfer from surfaces to individuals.
When dealing with respiratory diseases like COVID-19, measures beyond asking people to leave the area are employed, including clinical quarantining, social distancing, and establishing isolation zones where the use of proper PPE is mandatory for all individuals, as a way to balance the rights of the infected with the risk they pose to others.