There is likely a very simple explanation, which has to do with a mistake in decontamination.
The best way to explain it is by thinking about rubber gloves. You put on the gloves and they get some invisible contamination on both of them. Now how do you take the gloves off without getting contaminant on your skin?
People typically think you use one hand to grab the wrist of the other glove and peel it off. And that is wrong, because you might contaminate the skin of the other wrist with the peeling hand glove.
The correct answer is that you must thoroughly decontaminate your gloves before removing them.
There are similar problems with protective masks, eye wear, shoes, hair, and protective over-garments. Some contamination situations are so serious, and hair is so absorbent, that everyone has to shave all the hair off their bodies. (Usually radiological or spore bacterial contamination.)
*And* any and all surfaces, ceiling, floors, walls, equipment, especially heavily contaminated things like door handles, telephones, etc.
While decontaminating all of this sounds complicated, it is, and it is very time consuming. This is why medical care workers are at risk, because they are “too busy” to decontaminate, and the vast majority of contamination is so unimportant that they do not regularly decontaminate.
Because of drug resistant bacteria, hospitals have tried to track down sources of contamination, and discovered that doctor’s neckties and long sleeves were *very* contaminated, to the point where doctors are being told to stop wearing them.
The bottom line is what I call Universal Rule Number Two, ‘the doctor’s rule’, that is simply:
“Stool Gets Everywhere!”
Can one person execute a “don-doff” routine flawlessly? Sure.
Can 100 people under extreme stress do it flawlessly 100 times? Not a chance.
She should have showered before she took off her protective gear. Even asbestos abatement contractors are required to do so. If she didn’t shower then the question is why didn’t she?