Improving N95 Safety - use of ionizers

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Experts debate using face masks during flu pandemic 

ASSOCIATED PRESS

1:33 p.m. March 6, 2006

WASHINGTON � How much protection would a face mask offer during a 

worldwide flu epidemic? And would people need a fresh one every day or 

even every few hours?

There aren't clear answers, public health experts said Monday as the 

Institute of Medicine grappled with what advice to offer the federal 

government.

Health workers use masks � simple surgical masks or better-filtering 

ones called N95 respirators � to prevent infection while caring for sick 

patients. But the public undoubtedly will turn to masks as well if a flu 

pandemic strikes, and experts say supplies will quickly run short.

Both types of masks are supposed to be used once and discarded. So 

federal health officials asked the IOM, a prestigious group of independent 

scientists, to determine if there are ways that health workers could reuse 

their N95 masks � and if average citizens need reusable masks, too.

The IOM will issue its report this spring.

At a public meeting Monday, health experts cited a host of questions. 

Among them: how long the masks work once donned; whether reused 

masks could be contaminated and spread infection; how to ensure they're 

worn correctly � N95 masks have to be fitted to the user's face and are 

hard to breathe in for long stretches.

And would wearing a mask on, say, the subway protect people enough, or 

should they have driven or stayed home? Linda Chiarello of the Centers 

for Disease Control and Prevention said if masks eventually are 

recommended for the public, the advice must not create a false sense of 

security.

�The lack of clear data ... is a dilemma for those of us on the front lines,� 

said Dr. Jeff Durchin of the Seattle-King County Health Department, 

adding that people already call health departments to ask what masks 

they should personally stockpile.

�We should not be talking about the reusability of 

masks or other devices until we know whether they actually work to begin 

with,� said Jeffrey Levi of Trust for America's Health, a nonprofit health 

advocacy group.

 http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/health/20060306-1333-bird flu-

masks.html

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Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Improving N95 Safety - use of ionizers Posted: March 11 2006 at 4:57am
	Experts debate using face masks during flu pandemic ASSOCIATED PRESS 1:33 p.m. March 6, 2006 WASHINGTON � How much protection would a face mask offer during a worldwide flu epidemic? And would people need a fresh one every day or even every few hours? There aren't clear answers, public health experts said Monday as the Institute of Medicine grappled with what advice to offer the federal government. Health workers use masks � simple surgical masks or better-filtering ones called N95 respirators � to prevent infection while caring for sick patients. But the public undoubtedly will turn to masks as well if a flu pandemic strikes, and experts say supplies will quickly run short. Both types of masks are supposed to be used once and discarded. So federal health officials asked the IOM, a prestigious group of independent scientists, to determine if there are ways that health workers could reuse their N95 masks � and if average citizens need reusable masks, too. The IOM will issue its report this spring. At a public meeting Monday, health experts cited a host of questions. Among them: how long the masks work once donned; whether reused masks could be contaminated and spread infection; how to ensure they're worn correctly � N95 masks have to be fitted to the user's face and are hard to breathe in for long stretches. And would wearing a mask on, say, the subway protect people enough, or should they have driven or stayed home? Linda Chiarello of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said if masks eventually are recommended for the public, the advice must not create a false sense of security. �The lack of clear data ... is a dilemma for those of us on the front lines,� said Dr. Jeff Durchin of the Seattle-King County Health Department, adding that people already call health departments to ask what masks they should personally stockpile. �We should not be talking about the reusability of masks or other devices until we know whether they actually work to begin with,� said Jeffrey Levi of Trust for America's Health, a nonprofit health advocacy group. http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/health/20060306-1333-bird flu- masks.html

Enumclaw,WA Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Adviser Group Joined: January 31 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 67	Post Options Post Reply Quote Enumclaw,WA Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: March 11 2006 at 5:07am
	Wouldn't it be nice if they made up there mind before this thing goes totally H2H. That way we would know if we are comming or going. LOL Even the medical people don't know if they will be protected. If not, none of them will show up for work either. This just keeps getting better and better.
	RB

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: March 11 2006 at 5:47am
	The same question was raised several years ago with SARS and remains unanswered. Personally, I won't wait for someone to tell me to put my seat belt on. The experts are reluctant to advise the public to wear a mask in the event of a Pandemic. They were not reluctant in 1918. Do you think the experts, have any masks at home? The advantage of the public not buying any, it leaves more to go around. My 2-cents.

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: March 12 2006 at 5:04am
	http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/resources/pressrel/announceme nts/ 113004wkshp/pdfs/Summary_Plenary.pdf

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: March 12 2006 at 5:40am
	http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/resources/pressrel/announceme nts/ 113004wkshp/pdfs/Presentation%2012_Roy%20McKay.pdf Fit testing exercise for N95, refer to URL to see entire article.

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: March 12 2006 at 5:53am
	http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/resources/pressrel/announceme nts/ 113004wkshp/pdfs/Presentation%2009_Sergey%20Grinshpun.pdf

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: March 12 2006 at 5:55am
	http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/resources/pressrel/announceme nts/ 113004wkshp/pdfs/Presentation%2009_Sergey%20Grinshpun.pdf

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: March 12 2006 at 6:05am
	by Sergey Grinshpun, PhD Center for Health-Related Aerosol Studies, University of Cincinnati Workshop on Respiratory Protection for Airborne Infectious Agents November 30 - December 1, 2004 Atlanta, GA http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/resources/pressrel/announceme nts/ 113004wkshp/pdfs/Presentation%2009_Sergey%20Grinshpun.pdf http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/resources/pressrel/announceme nts/ 113004wkshp/presentations.html Department of Environmental Health, Center for Health-Related Aerosol Studies, University of Cincinnati, P.O. Box 670056, 3223 Eden Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0056, USA Abstract: We developed a novel concept that allows to considerably improve the performance of conventionally used filtering-facepiece respirators against fine and ultra fine aerosols including airborne viral and bacterial agents. The concept is based on the continuous emission of unipolar ions. The e ect was evaluated through the real-time monitoring of the concentration and size distribution of ne and ultra ne aerosol particles. The measurements were conducted inside and outside of a respiratory mask that was face sealed on a breathing manikin. A commonly used Type N95 respirator and surgical mask were utilized for the tests. The manikin was placed in a 24.3-m3 indoor test chamber and exposed to polydisperse surrogate aerosols simulating viral and bacterial particles with respect to the aerodynamic size. The particle penetration through the mask was found to decrease by one-to-two orders of magnitude as a result of continuous unipolar ion emission in the chamber. The ux of air ions migrated to the breathing zone and imparted electrical charges of the same polarity to the aerosol particles and the respirator lter surface. This created an electrostatic shield along the external surface of the filter, thus enhancing the protection characteristics provided by the respirator. The above performance enhancement e ect is crucial for minimizing the infectious risk in the cases when the conventional ltering-facepiece respirators are not able to provide an adequate protection against airborne viruses and bacteria.

elbows Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List V.I.P. Member Joined: February 06 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 339	Post Options Post Reply Quote elbows Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: March 12 2006 at 10:45am
	Anybody know if this is the normal sorts of cheap air ionisers that have been available to the masses for many years?

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: March 12 2006 at 1:44pm
	I'm just flying this up the flagpole to see if anyone salutes. I'm no expert, but if the off-the-self ionizer functions as it should, I don't see any reason why it would not help. Possibly someone here could comment on it, cause the CDC won't even comment use of a mask for non-medical folks. In hypothetical terms, this would only be practical if you were nursing someone at home and you wanted to improve your margin of safety. Or if someone had been possibly exposed and were returning home. Of course other safety precautions continue to apply. I look at the risk verses rewards. Given a choice between putting a few bucks down on a lottery ticket or an ionizer, I'd put my money on the ionizer. My 2-cents. This information leaked out of CDC website-they should have used an ionizer.