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    Are surgical masks manufactured from sterilisation wrap safe?

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    Author
    Grigg, SE; Zampiron, A; Akbaridoust, F; Chandran, D; Holmes, NE; Johnson, PDR; Marusic, I; Jones, D
    Date
    2020-11-19
    Source Title
    Infection, Disease && Health
    Publisher
    Elsevier BV
    University of Melbourne Author/s
    Zampiron, Andrea; Marusic, Ivan; Holmes, Natasha; Akbaridoust, Farzan; Jones, Daryl; Johnson, Paul
    Affiliation
    Mechanical Engineering
    Medicine and Radiology
    Surgery (Austin & Northern Health)
    Metadata
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    Document Type
    Journal Article
    Citations
    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 location
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/11343/254581
    DOI
    10.1016/j.idh.2020.11.001
    Open Access URL
    https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC7674969?pdf=render
    Open Access at PMC
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7674969
    Abstract
    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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