All

Yes, devices such as a HPV or EtO system will work. Unfortunately medical care facility administrators do not see a viable path that cannot be implemented immediately and easily. Thus they are telling staff to make do with what they have.

Among other options I have urged my MD son-in-law to protect his family by sleeping at the hospital. Assume he will be contagious and isolate from the family

Questions such as soaking in 91% IPA or 0.5% bleach have been raised. Administrators do not have answers.

Sent from Neal Langerman's NEXUS 6.
Standard client confidentiality terms apply.

On Mon, Mar 23, 2020, 11:03 Lawrence M Gibbs <lgibbs**At_Symbol_Here**stanford.edu> wrote:

Neal et al,

Keep in mind particulate filtering respirators were developed primarily for inert particulate matter (wood dust, silica, etc.). When used in a clinical setting, the particulate matter is no longer inert, but potentially can replicate and infect individuals upon exposure (uptake). For this reason, reuse of an N-95 is not typically recommended for use in biohazard protection, as a general rule.

Having said that we are entering that stage of an emergency where scarcity of the primary protective device is occurring. A number of academic clinical centers are running into the same issues and are doing some testing of methodologies for possible reuse of n-95 particle respirators. The attached is one such report on methodology for disinfection of the masks for possible reuse. Note that gas or vapor is needed to assure complete penetration of the filtrate substrate where infectious particulates may adhere. Work is currently being done by some of the regional academic bio research facilities on this and protocols being developed demonstrating the process and testing using indicator strips of the disinfection. I suggest caution on applying considerations for non-viable particulates to the current situation for N-95s or other respiratory protective equipment.

Larry

Lawrence M. Gibbs, CIH, FAIHA

Associate Vice Provost Emeritus

Stanford University

lgibbs**At_Symbol_Here**stanford.edu

(c) 650-387-1131

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