Are surgical masks manufactured from sterilisation wrap safe?
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Grigg, SE; Zampiron, A; Akbaridoust, F; Chandran, D; Holmes, NE; Johnson, PDR; Marusic, I; Jones, DDate
2020-11-19Source Title
Infection, Disease && HealthPublisher
Elsevier BVUniversity of Melbourne Author/s
Zampiron, Andrea; Marusic, Ivan; Holmes, Natasha; Akbaridoust, Farzan; Jones, Daryl; Johnson, PaulAffiliation
Mechanical EngineeringMedicine and Radiology
Surgery (Austin & Northern Health)
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Journal ArticleCitations
Grigg, S. E., Zampiron, A., Akbaridoust, F., Chandran, D., Holmes, N. E., Johnson, P. D. R., Marusic, I. & Jones, D. (2020). Are surgical masks manufactured from sterilisation wrap safe?. Infect Dis Health, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.idh.2020.11.001.Access Status
Access this item via the Open Access locationOpen Access URL
https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC7674969?pdf=renderOpen Access at PMC
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7674969Abstract
BACKGROUND: Due to regional shortages some health services have proposed using surgical masks manufactured from sterilisation wrap. However, there has been little assessment of the safety of this practice. Therefore, we developed our own prototypes and evaluated whether they met regulatory standards. METHODS: Surgical mask prototypes were manufactured from two thickness grades of commercial sterilisation wrap. Safety was assessed in the context of regulatory standards. As it was not previously reported, we developed and performed differential pressure and synthetic blood penetration resistance experiments in accordance with official methodology. RESULTS: Bacterial filtration efficiency was comparable between sterilisation wrap and commercial surgical masks. Both prototypes met regulatory standards for synthetic blood resistance, whilst only our thinner mask fulfilled acceptable differential pressure ('breathability') thresholds. CONCLUSION: Acceptable barrier and breathability properties can be achieved with surgical masks produced from sterilisation wrap. Therefore, this may be a reasonable method to supplement stock if required. Unless there are shortages mandating alternatives, health-care workers should always use approved personal protective equipment.
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