In a home quarantine setting, how long does an N95 mask remain effective?
In a hospital setting, if supplies are adequate, I assume the protocol is that doctors and nurses use medical masks only once and then throws it away.
In a home shutdown setting during this Covid19 pandemic when medical masks like the N95 are not that easy to get, how long can the N95 mask be used safely and effectively by a family member who is taking care of a very high-risk disabled elder relative?
What would cause the N95 medical mask to be ineffective?
Thank you.
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3 Answers
According to Mrs Squeeky who works in health care,the mask is only truly safe for about an hour,the moisture from your breath breaks it down,
They have only one mask issued to them at the begining of their shift and are expected to make it last through their whole shift.
I didn’t ask what causes the mask to become ineffective,one thing I would expect is make sure your hands are good and washed before you touch the mask in any way.
There’s been some research done on whether and how N95 masks can be reused, for obvious reasons, and they’ve found that they can reuse them following strict protocols. For instance, they can be gently heated to disinfect them by holding them at 70 Celsius for long enough to ensure all the nasties are dead. Using this method, they can be reused up to 30 times with minimal loss of effectiveness.
The best way to disinfect them at home is to steam them for a long period, then allow them to thoroughly dry. N95 masks have two layers of protection: a weave of microfibres, and at least one layer of activated charcoal. Wetness renders the activated charcoal useless, while rough handling renders the microfibres useless. To reuse them, you have to make sure they are not bent or deformed enough to break the microfibres and they’re not wet down enough to break down the charcoal. Then you have to wait for them to dry thoroughly to restore its efficiency.
Bear in mind that it will never be as effective as the first time they’re used; they will slowly degrade in effectiveness. But if the alternative is using nothing at all, they can be reused, even if not ideal.
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