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decontamination of n95 masks with STERIMIST
How we’re reprocessing our N95 masks to extend use while keeping our faculty, staff, and patients safe
The safety of our faculty, staff, and patients is always our top priority. That’s why Central Sterilizing Services, Emergency Management, Employee Health, the College of Public Health, the Program of Hospital Epidemiology, and the State Hygienics Lab teamed up to collaborate in an innovative and safe way to reprocess our N95 masks.
The N95 reprocessing underway
Thanks to the collaboration of these teams, we now have the ability to reprocess approximately 1,000 N95 masks each day. We’re also prepared to extend capabilities to reprocess up to 2,000 masks a day, if necessary.
Currently this team operates from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays, and they’re working to expand operations.
How the N95 masks are reprocessed
To correctly and safely reprocess N95 masks, a Central Sterilization Services (CSS) technician fogs them with ionized Hydrogen Peroxide called SteraMist. It’s an effective and unique hospital-grade disinfectant that appears on four EPA disinfectant lists as Binary Ionization Technology (BIT) solution. This reprocessing method is currently one of three methods described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under its crisis standards of care decontamination recommendations.
The manufacturer of the mist tested it with the COVID-19 (also called SARS-CoV-2) organism applied to N95 respirators, and testing confirmed the mist completely deactivated the virus. It leaves no residue or odor behind as it dries; it simply evaporates into water vapor and oxygen.
We can reprocess each N95 mask four times while keeping the necessary filtration efficiency to ensure they function as needed.
