10
Autoclaving, alcohol not the best options for disinfecting, reusing face masks
July 12, 2020
A University of Cincinnati researcher is advising against using a widely available sterilization method to clean disposable surgical masks and N95 respirators for reuse in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Scarcity of personal protection equipment in medical settings has led many health systems to consider sterilizing and reusing masks developed initially as disposable items, says Sergey Grinshpun, PhD, director of the University of Cincinnati Center for Health-Related Aerosol Studies and professor in the UC Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences.