Reusability of Facemasks During an Influenza Pandemic Facing the Flu (2006) / Chapter Skim
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3 Use and Reuse of Respiratory Protective Devices for Infuenza Control
3 Use and Reuse of Respiratory Protective Devices for Infuenza Control
Pages 42-56
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From page 42... ...
Thus, public health officials may have to recommend respiratory protection in the form of medical (surgical or procedure) masks, respirators, or both to protect healthcare workers and the public against an influenza pandemic, and there may still be a problem if supplies of disposable medical masks and respirators are insufficient.
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From page 43... ...
requires employers of healthcare workers to have a respiratory protection program in place that provides greater opportunities for proper training in the continued use, disposal, and decontamination of medical masks and respirators. The committee also recognizes that in the event of pandemic influenza, many sick individuals will be treated at home; thus, caregivers and other family members will be in close proximity to infected individuals and will face much the same risks of exposure as those experienced by healthcare workers.
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From page 44... ...
Recognizing that no controlled studies have assessed the efficacy of mask use in preventing transmission of influenza virus, WHO guidance states that use of respiratory protective devices should be based on setting and risk (WHO, 2006) .1 WHO recommends that healthcare workers wear masks whenever there is a possibility of splashing or splattering of blood or other body substances, or where airborne infection may occur.
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From page 45... ...
Generally, medical masks should be changed between uses and whenever they become moist. The Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses recommends that surgical masks not be reused throughout the day or saved by hanging them around the neck or tucking them into a pocket for future use because the filter portion of the mask harbors bacteria collected from the nasopharyngeal airway, and care must be taken when removing the mask to avoid contamination of the hands (AORN, 2005)
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From page 46... ...
In addition, the design of reusable devices that require cleaning, disinfection, or sterilization between uses must enable the necessary steps to be performed adequately, and manufacturers must establish that devices can be reprocessed effectively after repeated use and must establish and validate procedures for reprocessing. Manufacturers told the committee that currently marketed disposable medical masks are made of materials that are likely to deteriorate with standard levels of disinfection (e.g., chemicals, heat, radiation)
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From page 47... ...
With regard to decontaminating reusable equipment exposed to avian influenza, WHO's Interim Infection Control Guidelines for Health Care Facilities states: "Avian Influenza is inactivated by a range of disinfectants including sodium hypochlorite (household bleach)
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From page 48... ...
. As previously discussed, medical masks are also considered single-use devices and are generally discarded after a single patient care task or medical procedure.
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From page 49... ...
However, surgical masks may not adequately protect against aerosol or airborne par ticles, primarily because they allow for leakage around the mask and cannot be fit tested. The mask should resist fluid penetration and fit tightly around the mouth and nose when properly applied to the face.
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From page 50... ...
In Toronto, strict infection control measures were implemented for hospital staff that included the use of respirators or medical masks, face shields, goggles, gloves, and gowns. Parents in a pediatric hospital were required to wear a medical mask in most areas that presented a risk of exposure.
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From page 51... ...
on 241 noninfected and 13 infected staff exposed to SARS patients revealed that mask use alone or in combination with the use of gowns and hand washing was significantly effective in reducing both exposure to and risk of SARS in healthcare workers. Respiratory devices evaluated in this study included paper and surgical masks and N95 filtering facepiece respirators; however, respirators were used only in isolation rooms or during high-risk procedures.
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From page 52... ...
(2004) conducted a retrospective cohort study and evaluated personal protective equipment use in 66 healthcare workers exposed to SARS patients.
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From page 53... ...
Their testing showed that the best combination of five surgical masks provided a fit factor of 13.7, dramatically less than the OSHArequired fit factor of 100 for N95 half-mask respirators. Citizens in India routinely wear woven cloth masks as well as disposable nonwoven masks in the hope of protecting themselves from infection.
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From page 54... ...
2005. Protecting healthcare staff from severe acute respiratory syndrome: Filtration capacity of multiple surgical masks.
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From page 55... ...
American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal 58:876880. Qian Y, Willeke K, Ulevicius V, Grinshpun SA .
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From page 56... ...
2005. Clarification: Use of Masks by Healthcare Workers in Pandemic Settings.
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