Masks are considered to be an
essential accessory right now. While any kind of face-covering could
garner some level of protection from the harmful COVID causing virus,
N95 masks, experts suggest are the best ones to use.
N95, though
one of the safest ones are not really reusable. Even though the use can
be extended, it's not really recommended to prolong the use of one N95
mask, which could fuel contamination and also trap active viruses in the
fabric.
Healthcare and essential workers, who, too, are being
made to reuse masks because of the shortage of supply, are exposing
themselves to risk.
The surging pandemic has also led to a sudden
surge in queries regarding the proper wear, care and disinfection of
masks, particularly N95 ones. In light of that, scientists have come up
with a new way of "disinfecting" and prolonging the use of masks right
now, which could be a big breakthrough.
How can you safely reuse a N95 mask?
Scientists out of Department of
Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University and
the University of Texas Medical Branch have now found a new technique,
which could allow the masks to get disinfected and make it safer for
reuse.
According to researchers, something simple as 'heating' the
mask could relatively disinfect the virus, and help recycle them for
further use.
The strategy, which researchers feel which definitely
help healthcare workers at a time like this could lessen the shortage
problem and not contribute to the pandemic pollution as well.
“You
can imagine each doctor or nurse having their own personal collection
of up to a dozen masks. The ability to decontaminate several of these
masks while they are having a coffee break will lessen the chance that
masks contaminated with COVID-19 viruses would expose other patients,” a
senior physicist, Steven Chu, an author of the above study said in a
statement.
Will heating kills the SARS-COV-2 virus?
While there are no studies yet to
confirm the reaction of the novel coronavirus in contact with high
temperatures, scientists based out of Stanford University devised a
novel way of combining heat and humidity to decontaminate and inactive
the viruses at large.
Conducting the experiment in a safe
environment, scientists mimicked real-life situations by mixing up
SARS-COV-2 strains in liquids like the fluids which come out of our
mouth while a person coughs, sneezes or breathes.
The droplet
solution was then made to air dry on a special meltdown polypropylene
fibres fabric, which is also used in the making of N95 masks and then
heated at different temperature settings, for 30 minutes.
N95 masks could be extended for use by decontaminating the fabric
It was observed that the
environment with high humidity and heat was able to reduce the virus
load on the fabric. However, extreme heat reduced the mask's sensitivity
to filter out germs and viruses.
The best temperature, for
'cooking' and rooting out the viruses turned out to be 85-degree
Celcius, with 100% relative humidity. Scientists were able to observe
zero trace of the COVID causing virus after sample masks were treated
under the given environment.
Additionally, it was also observed
that the method would decontaminate the mask, and make it suitable for
use upto 20 times, which could potentially help save resources.
Further,
the virus killing technology could also be useful to combat other types
of viruses known to infect humans- including the fairly common cold
virus and chikungunya.
How can you safely take care of your masks?
Mask-wearing is essential during
the times of the pandemic but it's also important to sterilize and
disinfect your masks before and after use. It's also important to keep
them safely, at home so that you prevent the risk of unnecessary
exposure.
-Always wash your hands with a disinfecting solution before and after use. Use sanitizer when the former is not available.
-Use the strings of the mask to tie or untie the mask. Do not touch the front portion.
-Ensure it fits snugly over your mouth. A good mask should cover your nose, mouth and let you breathe properly.
-You
can also consider the use of an additional face shield or covering to
prevent the risk of contamination, especially in a crowded public place,
or a high-risk environment.
Storage is also a crucial aspect.
Hang your used masks to "dry" them in a specially designated area, or
keep them stored in breathable pouches, such as paper bags between uses.