Use, re-use or discard? Quantitatively defined variance in the functional integrity of N95 respirators following vaporized hydrogen peroxide decontamination during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 has stretched the ability of many institutions to supply needed personal protective equipment, especially N95 respirators. N95 decontamination and re-use programmes provide one potential solution to this problem. Unfortunately, a comprehensive evaluation of the effects of decontamination on the fit of various N95 models using a quantitative fit test (QNFT) approach is lacking.

Aims

To investigate the effects of up to eight rounds of vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VHP) decontamination on the fit of N95 respirators currently in use in a hospital setting, and to examine if N95 respirators worn by one user can adapt to the face shape of a second user with no compromise to fit following VHP decontamination.

Methods

The PortaCount Pro+ Resp

SUBMITTER: Levine C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7566697 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature