This is how much protection medics have to wear to shield themselves every day from coronavirus: Startling video shows doctor putting on multiple layers before his shift

A medic on the front line of the coronavirus pandemic has revealed the staggering amount of protective equipment he wears to avoid contamination.

The doctor, wearing gear manufactured in China, recorded himself suiting up ahead of a shift treating patients with the highly contagious disease.

Some 11 items were applied, including two layers of gloves and a tightly sealed Hazmat suit which covers him from head to toe.

The video, which accelerates the lengthy process in double-time, begins by showing the health worker in a standard blue gown.

He first applies double-sided tape patches either side of his nose to create a tight seal for the goggles.

He then pulls on a hair net before putting on his glasses and placing a N95 issue face mask over his mouth looping the elastic over his head to fasten it.

Face masks have been a staple piece of kit since the outbreak began to snowball in China late last year after it was discovered the airborne virus spreads via coughs and sneezes.

The medic next puts on safety goggles to protect his eyes, before donning a surgical cap to provide another layer of insulation to stop any contaminating particles from his head dropping on to the patient.

This is followed by two pairs of gloves. He then steps into a one-piece Winner coverall - commonly called a Hazmat suit - and pulls down the hood which he tapes to his mask to completely seal himself. 

He then slips on a pair of disposable overshoes and straps a regular surgical mask over his N95 face mask.  

The video was posted to Reddit, with the caption: 'This gives you an idea how many layers of protection doctors must protect themselves everyday from the coronavirus.' 

The personal protective equipment standards for health workers differ in each country fighting the outbreak, but a guideline is offered by the World Health Organisation.        

According to WHO, medics providing care to Covid-19 patients should wear a medical mask, gown, gloves and goggles.  

In Britain, front line workers have complained about being exposed to contamination after not being issued with the correct equipment.