PPE Disisnfection for Reusal?

[Greekman]

I wonder what would be good methods for disinfecting the now scarce PPE to reuse.

- I know UV is a good way an blame myself for not having a UV LED strip with all this LED tinkering I do.
- Most of the PPE can be washed (I tried it with the 15c construction dust masks)
- How about a dilute Alcohol solution. i know that hands disinfection guidelines require a 70% solution, but how about leaving the PPE in the dilute solution for long time?
- Peroxide Solution
- Dilute Bleach solution (how about immersion in the standard recipe of the water disinfection solution?)

What do you think?

[Greekman]

I got a tip on N95 disinfection in a pulmonology professor;s interview.

Disinfecting N95 masks in bleach is considered harmful to their effectiveness.
yet it is possible to dissinfect in a house oven, at 70degrees celcious (160F) for half an hour.

[Chemsoldier]

I am guessing UV would be pretty good, no chemicals or getting things wet or exposing it to extreme heat.

[mountainmoma]

what myself and others I know have settle on to disinfect is time, so just take it off and wait until the potential virus on it is no longer viable before touching it again

Doing this will not degrade the masks as other things would, the virus will not be viable after some days, we do not know how many days, we know that the longest we have heard of the corona virus living on a smooth surface is 9 days.  We are also told it only lives on rough stuff like cardboard or cloth for  a day ( or two? ), so then we try and extrapolate how long is needed to leave a mask.  You could not touch one for 9 days, I am choosing to re-use mine after 7 days.  The idea is to carefully take the mask off and hang it or set it somewhere where no one touches it for a week. So, if you have 3 masks, you can go out 3 times a week, etc...

[FreeLancer]

I’m signed up for a teleconference through my professional society on this subject tomorrow, specifically aimed at protecting healthcare workers in the face of dwindling supplies.

I’ll share what I learn.

[Greekman]

I am guessing UV would be pretty good, no chemicals or getting things wet or exposing it to extreme heat.

Yes,  but good luck finding one with shops closed...
And a LED array only costs a few bucks. Which i have gotten ages ago along with the white light ones in the first place...

[Greekman]

I’m signed up for a teleconference through my professional society on this subject tomorrow, specifically aimed at protecting healthcare workers in the face of dwindling supplies.

I’ll share what I learn.

Could ypu ask about UV light penetratipn on  thick surfaces like a N95 mask? Thanks

[LvsChant]

Thanks, Freelancer. Waiting to hear what you learn.

[FreeLancer]

Webinar Description:

Occupational health care providers in the United States (U.S.) are currently addressing emergency protocols for protecting health care workers (HCWs) from COVID-19. However, there are many unanswered questions related to protecting HCWs especially with the limited supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as N95 respirators.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) should release guidance documents this week on decontamination of FFRs, elastomeric respirators, PAPRs, and covering a respirator with a surgical mask.

In this webinar, the speakers will review the NIOSH/CDC guidance followed by a discussion of studies on and systems for the decontamination of N95s. The presentations will be followed by live, moderated Q&A.

Moderator:
David Rempel, MD, FACOEM, Professor Emeritus, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of California, San Francisco

Speakers:
CDC/NIOSH Guidance on Decontamination of FFR and Elastomeric Respirators:
TBD, National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL), CDC/NIOSH

Review of Studies on the Decontamination of N95 Respirators:
Lisa Brosseau, ScD, CIH, Professor Emeritus, Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Illinois, Chicago

Update on University of Nebraska Medical Center Decontamination System Using UV-C:
Shawn G. Gibbs, PhD, MBA, CIH, Professor of Environmental Health, Indiana University School of Public Health

Reusable Elastomeric Respirators: University of Maryland Experience and Scientific Update:
Stella Hines, MD, MSPH, Assistant Professor, School of Medicine, University of Maryland

FFRs are single use N95 or better masks.

Elastomeric are reusable half or full face "painting" respirators with replaceable cartridges for particulates and/or gases.

PAPRs pump purified air to the wearer's full-face mask or full-head helmet.

It sounds like CDC or NIOSH will be presenting their, apparently as of yet unreleased, guidelines on the topic so those should be publicly available documents soon.

[FreeLancer]

Wouldn't you know it, as I was typing the last post, ACOEM postponed the webinar to next Friday due to CDC/NIOSH not being ready with their guidelines.

Thank you for registering for the Protecting Health Care Workers – Decontamination & Reuse of Respirators webinar.
 
This webinar has been rescheduled for Friday, April 3, at 12:00 noon EDT, per discussions with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The Agency will soon be releasing guidance on decontamination of PPE, and postponing this webinar until the federal guidance is released will provide you with the most accurate and up to date information on this fluid situation. Representatives from CDC/NIOSH will be participating in the webinar.
 
You will remain registered for this webinar for the new date and time. An updated email confirmation will be sent to you shortly; you may use the link in the updated confirmation to add the new date and time to your calendar.
 
We apologize for any inconvenience.

A lot will happen in the next week, not much of it good for healthcare workers, unfortunately.

[Greekman]

so... I am only halfway through the webinar, but it sems safe to ask...

How can one replecate the wet heat method at home? 65deg celsious, lots of humidity....with a steam cooker maybe?

[Greekman]

all, what do yuo think of these methods of mask sterilization?

Using a vegetable steamer
https://youtu.be/BJsyD-NDtRA?t=65

replicating the exact wet and humid conditions in a convection oven
https://youtu.be/mzpoElFVQ9I?t=394

[FreeLancer]

I think either way is probably fine. Probably.  If you could accurately control the temperature and humidity for the proper amount of time, as outlined in the literature, it should work.

I’m not sure I would go to those lengths with my precious N95 stocks on a personal level. If I needed to use a mask daily I would take 5 masks and put each one in a paper bag. I’d use one mask per day and put it back in its bag and not use it again until each of the other masks had been used for a day and put back into their bag. Having a 4 day interval between use allows for the virus to decay in between uses and minimizes degrading the elastic straps.

I don’t have to go anywhere more than once a week so I’m just using one mask and putting it in the paper bag between uses. Make sure it’s a paper bag so it can breathe.

[Greekman]

I do understand your method. And probably i will be doing too.
But I got to cater for my sis family that will have to do with 5 N95 masks and 20 surgical for the duration of.