(Cleveland) - NASA Glenn Research Center and University Hospitals have collaborated to come up with new ways to decontaminate personal protective equipment (PPE) for aerospace applications and for safeguarding the health of workers caring for patients with COVID-19.
Two methods were tested, allowing health care professionals to sanitize masks on site, and safely re-use them. One uses atomic oxygen, the other peracetic acid.
“While we currently have sufficient PPE on hand to care for the patients we have in our facilities today, we need to proactively and prudently plan for potential future needs,” said Dr. Daniel I. Simon, chief clinical and scientific officer at University Hospitals and president of UH Cleveland Medical Center. “This includes factoring in the potential for supply chain shortages due to COVID-19 surges in other states while also taking into account our need to restart non-emergent and elective services, which requires being mindful about current usage and putting in place go-forward conservation strategies. The opportunity to pool resources and quickly bring about PPE sterilization solutions for the benefit of our caregivers is truly remarkable.”
(Photo courtesy University Hospitals)
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