Could respirator decontamination solve shortage problems?

The FDA has issued an emergency use authorization for the Battelle Critical Care Decontamination System, which can decontaminate tens of thousands of respirator masks per day so that health personnel can reuse them.

The Columbus, Ohio-based nonprofit tech development company announced on March 28 that it began rapid manufacturing of its system to decontaminate N95 respirator masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE). NPR reports that Battelle already has a system on its way to New York City, which is especially hard hit by the pandemic.

There have been numerous reports of mask and PPE shortages around the world as the coronavirus pandemic continues to rampage.

 

N95 respirator