New system will decontaminate N95 masks so they can be reused during coronavirus outbreak
The Washington State Department of Health reports that a disinfection system for N95 masks has been cleared and will be operational this week for hospitals.
The state has done a “dry run” cleaning exposed N95 masks, a Monday statement from the state DOH said. Battelle Critical Care Decontamination System will begin reaching out to hospitals directly.
Hospitals will send N95 masks to a system being set up at Camp Murray, close to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Battelle’s spokesperson, Katy Delaney said.
“We are working with local health systems to collect masks for testing this week,” Delaney said.
The facility uses concentrated hydrogen peroxide gas to decontaminate the masks in a 150-minute cycle. The system can decontaminate up to 80,000 N95 masks a day.
Some health care systems have opted out of the new technology, stating they already have measures in place.
MultiCare,which operates Tacoma General Hospital, is using its own internal mask reprocessing procedures, spokesperson Marce Edwards said. The health care system is using in-house sterilizers to process masks.
“It’s the same system we use for surgical instruments and other items that need to be sterilized,” Edwards said in an email.
CHI Franciscan, which operates St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, declined to comment.
N95 masks filter or block small particles transmitted by coughs, or some medical procedures, according to the FDA. Other masks, like disposable surgical masks, are less effective at filtering smaller particles, like viruses.
Hospitals have had to ration masks and other medical protective gear due to a national shortage, leaving health care workers feeling unprotected.
Masks sent to Camp Murray must be labeled by the hospital and worker and be free of any visual soiling like blood, bodily fluids or makeup. After 20 decontamination cycles, masks will be discarded.
The company announced on April 10 after this story first published, they will offer access to decontamination system free of charge to health care providers
The FDA approved the decontamination system March 29. Battelle is preparing decontamination systems for New York, and one has already been created in the company’s home state of Ohio.
Battelle is looking to hire technicians locally to staff the site.
This story was originally published April 9, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
