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COVID-19 global pandemic planning: Dry heat incubation and ambient temperature fail to consistently inactivate SARS-CoV-2 on N95 respirators.
Perkins, Douglas J; Nofchissey, Robert A; Ye, Chunyan; Donart, Nathan; Kell, Alison; Foo-Hurwitz, Ivy; Muller, Timothy; Bradfute, Steven B.
  • Perkins DJ; Center for Global Health, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
  • Nofchissey RA; Center for Global Health, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
  • Ye C; Center for Global Health, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
  • Donart N; Office of Research, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
  • Kell A; Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
  • Foo-Hurwitz I; Center for Global Health, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
  • Muller T; Office of Research, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
  • Bradfute SB; Center for Global Health, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
Exp Biol Med (Maywood) ; 246(8): 952-959, 2021 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-992323
ABSTRACT
The ongoing pandemic of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has placed a substantial strain on the supply of personal protective equipment, particularly the availability of N95 respirators for frontline healthcare personnel. These shortages have led to the creation of protocols to disinfect and reuse potentially contaminated personal protective equipment. A simple and inexpensive decontamination procedure that does not rely on the use of consumable supplies is dry heat incubation. Although reprocessing with this method has been shown to maintain the integrity of N95 respirators after multiple decontamination procedures, information on the ability of dry heat incubation to inactivate SARS-CoV-2 is largely unreported. Here, we show that dry heat incubation does not consistently inactivate SARS-CoV-2-contaminated N95 respirators, and that variation in experimental conditions can dramatically affect viability of the virus. Furthermore, we show that SARS-CoV-2 can survive on N95 respirators that remain at room temperature for at least five days. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that dry heat incubation procedures and ambient temperature for five days are not viable methods for inactivating SARS-CoV-2 on N95 respirators for potential reuse. We recommend that decontamination procedures being considered for the reuse of N95 respirators be validated at each individual site and that validation of the process must be thoroughly conducted using a defined protocol.
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Virus Inactivation / Pandemics / SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19 / Hot Temperature / Masks Type of study: Observational study / Prognostic study Limits: Animals / Humans Language: English Journal: Exp Biol Med (Maywood) Journal subject: Biology / Physiology / Medicine Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: 1535370220977819

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Virus Inactivation / Pandemics / SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19 / Hot Temperature / Masks Type of study: Observational study / Prognostic study Limits: Animals / Humans Language: English Journal: Exp Biol Med (Maywood) Journal subject: Biology / Physiology / Medicine Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: 1535370220977819