During widespread havoc over a fatal pandemic, protecting oneself and gearing up to defend the body from the virus is essential and need of the hour. While the frontline warriors are doing what they can to save lives staying up day and night to shield several from the disease, safeguarding your self would be the wisest possible choice in the present.
There have been theories, hypotheses about the possibility of a cure for combating the virus. Sometimes it is the government moving towards the advice of Herd Immunity, and then there is the ongoing third phase trial for the vaccine developed. Hopes are constant, but solutions are not so many to list.
Meanwhile, various scientific organizations and research societies are putting their efficacy in best use to try and search out for alternatives what so ever and one such option drawn out is related to N95 Respiratory masks.
New experiments and studies have drawn conclusive results on the likelihood of dry heat sanitizing N95 masks for what its worth. The research seems valuable for so many reasons that prevail currently before us universally- the shortage of covers and PPE kits.
The virus has shaken the health sector and its facilities rigorously. With no signs of an appropriate vaccine or cure to counter the sickness, shortage of beds in hospitals, PPE Kits for doctors, sanitizers, and masks has been a consistent matter of concern and following the scarcity of resources in this new study might help meet the ends.
PPE Shortages and N95 Masks
The findings published in the journal of Environmental Science & Technology Letters established that the electric cookers found in the home could help in decontaminating the N95 respirator masks, one of the critical components in Personal protection Kits (PPE).
The frontline warriors, which include Policemen, Nurses, Doctors, and Cleaners, have been putting their health and lives at risk to save millions from contacting the disease. When there is no other medically proven way to halt the mutation of viruses all round, the best step is to wear PPEs and Masks, both of which are scarce in supply.
According to the guidelines provided by various government authorities, the doctors and nurses, while working in Intensive Care Units (ICU), necessarily need to put up masks so that they do not come in contact with droplets secreted by the infected person. The idea also remains for the person wearing a mask to protect others from coming into contact with the life-threatening impurities.
The kind of outlook which seems appropriate inclusive of all the factors, it is pretty much deducing that these caregivers are compromising on their health by improvising with the standard protection kits required for providing care to the patients. They are not only putting themselves at risk but increasing the mutation of the virus all around.
N95 masks are the elite masks, or the more appropriate terminology would be masks made for medical health workers and doctors. Like its namesake, the cover not only stops the spreading of viruses by blocking the droplets but also filters through the other fine particles, not allowing them to infect the wearer as well. As per WHO standards, doctors need to wear only N95 masks while working in ICU or wards.
Presently, the shortage has occurred due to an increase in demand even on the part of ordinary people. The governments globally have restricted the supply of N95 masks to everyday people due to their scarcity among medical professionals.
The appropriate findings in the research
While researching through various sources, the resultant factor developed by multiple studies was that to consider a decontamination process successful and appropriate, it is necessary to recognize that the virus is ultimately eradicated in the process.
The respirator’s filtration capability must not be compromised, the mask must fit tightly around the wearer’s face, the protection equipment must be easily accessible, and it should not leave any harmful remnants on the wearer’s face.
After keeping all of these factors in mind, the experimenting research claimed of decontaminating N95 masks with the help of electric cookers. The experiment was performed based on three essential elements:
- The virus (similar to SARs-COV virus was taken)
- The filtration ability
- The fit around the mouth
After this, a series of tests concluded that 50 minutes of dry heat in 212ºF (100ºC) temperature in commonly available electric cookers could sanitize N95 masks entirely that too without improvising its efficacy at all.
An article published in Medical News Today mentioned the statement from the researches co-author Vishal Verma saying that,
We built a chamber in my aerosol-testing lab specifically to look at the filtration of the N95 respirators, and [we] measured particles going through it. The respirators maintained their filtration capacity of more than 95% and kept their fit, still properly seated on the wearer’s face, even after 20 cycles of decontamination in the electric cooker
The study has generated hopes in millions of medical professionals who had to worry about the single-use feature of N95 masks during the times of such outstripped supply of PPE resources. The researchers have given their piece of advice by stating to decontaminate various covers in one go and separate those masks from the cooker’s surface while sterilizing them.
Not only will this study be helpful to professionals but small clinics and ordinary people with the inability to access or afford any more masks.
