MADISON, Wis. (WSAW) - Governor Tony Evers today announced Wisconsin’s new Battelle Memorial Institute Critical Care Decontamination System is now ready and available for use by the state’s health care workers and first responders to decontaminate their N95 respirators so they can be reused up to 20 times.
Health care workers inside an Aspirus COVID-19 intensive care unit (WSAW Photo)
The Battelle system decontaminates N95 respirators by killing viruses and bacteria using hydrogen peroxide gas, and will greatly extend the life of a vital piece of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
“The addition of our new Battelle decontamination system will greatly aid in our state’s fight against the COVID-19 outbreak,” Gov. Evers said. “Our front line workers are in need of these critical PPE supplies, and we are doing everything we can to supply them with the tools to effectively do their jobs while preventing further spread. I encourage all of our frontline workers to save their N95 respirators so they can be decontaminated using our new Battelle system. The Battelle system represents one of the many ways Wisconsin is working to have decontamination services readily available for health care workers and first responders.”
Up to 80,000 N95 respirators can be decontaminated on a daily basis with the system. Respirators can be decontaminated up to 20 times without degrading the respirator's filtration performance.
The usual turnaround time for use is a maximum of 72 hours, plus shipping time, as long as the site is not over its capacity for use. The system can only decontaminate respirators, and not other items of PPE. It is also not authorized for use with respirators containing cellulose-based materials.
Throughout the past couple of weeks, outreach efforts were conducted to inform health care workers and first responders on how to sign up for the Battelle system decontamination service, and ensure their masks are safely returned to them.
According to the governor's office, decontamination services, including shipping, will be provided to Wisconsin healthcare organizations and professionals free of charge.
Eligible healthcare providers include, but are not limited to, hospitals, nursing homes, public health professionals, human and child protective services offices, emergency managers, first responders, coroners, medical examiners, law enforcement and correctional institutions, home health organizations, pharmacists, rural health services and dental offices.
"save" - Google News
May 10, 2020 at 11:05AM
https://ift.tt/3cjNuWf
Health care workers encouraged to save N95 respirators for decontamination - WSAW
"save" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2SvBSrf
https://ift.tt/2zJxCxA
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Health care workers encouraged to save N95 respirators for decontamination - WSAW"
Post a Comment