A simulation study to evaluate contamination during reuse of N95 respirators and effectiveness of interventions to reduce contamination

Evaluation of a mobile disinfection cabinet using ultraviolet-C light and aerosolized hydrogen peroxide for disinfection of medical equipment

In laboratory testing, a mobile enclosed disinfection cabinet using ultraviolet-C light and aerosolized hydrogen peroxide was effective for disinfection of hard and soft surfaces. The addition of aerosolized hydrogen peroxide to ultraviolet-C light resulted in improved disinfection of soft surfaces and Clostridioides difficile spores.

Effectiveness of commercial portable air cleaners and a do-it-yourself minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV)-13 filter box fan air cleaner in reducing aerosolized bacteriophage MS2

In an unventilated room, 2 commercial portable air cleaners with high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters and a do-it-yourself box fan air cleaner with minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV)-13 filters significantly reduced aerosolized bacteriophage MS2. Increasing airflow and addition of ultraviolet-C light plus titanium dioxide-generated photocatalytic oxidation enhanced viral clearance.

Estimated N95 Respirator Needs for Nonhealthcare Essential Workers in the United States During Communicable Respiratory Infectious Disease Pandemics

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for N95 respirators far exceeded the supply, leading to widespread shortages. Initially, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did not recommend N95 respirators in nonhealthcare settings, in order to reserve them for healthcare workers. As N95s became more available, the recommendations were updated in May 2021 to include N95 respirators for nonhealthcare settings. In this study, we estimated the numbers of N95s needed for nonhealthcare essential workers in the United States. This information is valuable for crisis preparedness and planning for future large-scale communicable respiratory infectious disease epidemics or pandemics. We adapted a spreadsheet-based tool originally built to estimate the potential demand for N95 respirators during an influenza pandemic. We defined nonhealthcare essential occupations according to the 2020 US Department of Homeland Security guidance and used US Bureau of Labor Statistics employment numbers and Occupational Information Network data as model parameters. We modeled minimum, intermediate, and maximum N95 provision scenarios (as 1, 2, and 5 N95 respirators, respectively) per week per worker, for pandemic durations of 15 and 40 weeks. For 85.15 million nonhealthcare essential workers during a 15-week pandemic, an estimated 1.3 billion N95 respirators would be needed under minimum provision scenarios, 2.6 billion for intermediate provision, and 6.4 billion for maximum provision. During a 40-week pandemic, these estimates increased to 3.4 billion, 6.8 billion, and 17 billion. Public health authorities and policymakers can use these estimates when considering workplace respirator-wearing practices, including prioritization of allocation, for nonhealthcare essential workers. Our novel spreadsheet-based tool can also be used to quickly generate estimates of other preparedness and response equipment.