Reuse of respiratory masks - Current suggestion for action is unusable Despite the fact that the Federal Government has ensured that much more and more mouth and nose protective masks are available to protect against the transmission of the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, surgical procedures, nursing residences and clinics have to use masks a number of occasions and prepare them appropriately.
The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) issued corresponding suggestions for everyday exercise. Accordingly, the masks should be heated to 70 levels Celsius and hence decontaminated. An internal paper by the Federal Institute for Medication and Health-related Products (BfArM) contradicts this apply. It would not be ample to heat the protective masks to 70 levels. Federal Institute: Strategy of decontamination unsuitable In Germany, Covid 19 outbreaks are rising in clinics and nursing homes. And so the fear grows, of all areas, in which you need to really be aided. The Federal Government's advice that respiratory masks can be reprocessed need to be more constructive. But the approach is not safe, as inside documents now show.
The Federal Govt experienced adopted the recommendations of the RKI and advised that masks be re-heated to 70 levels so that they could be utilized again for additional use.
The Federal Institute for Medications and Medical Units (BfArM) contradicts this approach. The prior strategy is unsuitable for decontamination, according to the inner paper, which is not yet publicly obtainable. kn95 description reported in its final broadcast. The interior paper was accessible to the journalists.
The Federal Institute would as a result position out that the new treatment strategy for respiratory masks does not totally destroy the new Sars-Cov-2 coronavirus. The process is not ample "to obtain a total inactivation of infectious virus particles on the incubated masks," in accordance to Frontal 21, explained in the paper.
Earlier tips are preserved So far, even so, the Federal Ministry of Well being has adhered to the tips, although the BfArM dated its view on April 24 and manufactured it available internally to the Federal Ministry of Well being. On April two, 2020, nevertheless, the BfArM also wrote: “Decontamination of disposable mouth, nose and face masks e.g. Heat inactivation using dry warmth at sixty five ° C-70 ° C suggested for thirty minutes, other approaches e.g. MNS may be attainable at higher temperatures. ” This suggestion can still be read on the BfArM site. The magazine manufactured an inquiry to the increased federal ministry of overall health. Even so, the Ministry did not comment on request. At the beginning of April, the Federal Ministry of Well being issued the tips for the controversial method. Clinics, doctor's places of work and nursing residences proceed to decontaminate protective masks to 70 levels Celsius in purchase to use the protecting masks even after recurring use, in accordance to Frontal 21.
Warmth protective masks to ninety levels for ninety minutes However, the method is not totally wrong. The internal paper alternatively advises to warmth the masks at ninety levels for 90 minutes. This is suggested as an substitute method. Even so, no reports or evaluation final results would be available for this. These are even now to be seen.
Some clinics go their own way Dr. Andreas Farnschläder, hygiene officer for the St. Marien Hospital in Siegen, mentioned on the program that one particular needed to avoid reusing respiratory masks. "In an emergency, we would use the method that has now turn out to be recognized in Austria that the masks are sterilized in superheated steam at 121 degrees." (sb)