Thread by @halletjulie

Friends in healthcare: so many homemade solutions to create masks to protect us for #COVID19

Ideally, would have full PPE for all HCW in all situations

But re alternative solutions, I’d rather 👀 at evidence than handsewn options.

Some learnings - thread 👇🏻

#COVID19surgery

A friend shared this helpful summary from @stanford 👉🏻 stanfordmedicine.app.box.com/v/covid19-PPE-…

🔑 info following

#COVID19surgery
@enenbee @AnnalsofSurgery @OpCovid @CovidSurg @pan_surg @sepideh_gholami @AGangiMD @LeeOcuin @LiangRhea @hpbsurgeon1 @ksoreide @HPB_Surgeon @me4_so @MdtSome4

/1

Protection from alternative material is not adequate.
#COVID19surgery
/2

Re-use N95 masks
Protection ⤵️ w each use
No evidence of safety

#COVID19surgery

/3

Sterilize N95 for safe re-use
1️⃣Tests by 4C air - Silicon Valley nanotech 4cair.com
Sterilization tested for E.Coli, but proposed methods shown to kill COVID19 + assess filtration efficiency
Hot air oven x 30 min: sterilized + filtration 96.6%
#COVID19surgery
/4

Sterilize N95 for safe re-use
2️⃣Other methods tested (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/P… )
Autoclave, dry heat, alcohol, soap and water ➡️ severe ⤵️ filtration
Microwave➡️ melting!
#COVID19surgery
/5

Sterilize N95 for safe re-use
3️⃣UV germicidial irradiation degrades material (tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.10… )
#COVID19surgery
/6

‼️CONCLUSION: Sterilize N95 for safe re-use

➡️ 70C/158F kitchen type oven♨️ x 30 min

#COVID19surgery

Thoughts or other informations - comment below! Let's discuss safe mask solutions if it comes down to that.

/END

Ok, one encore tweet to this thread - forgot she was on twitter - thanks @emdur3 for sharing your learnings with me! (and now w #COVID9surgery)