The USFDA recently issued guidance for the use of dry heat to help reuse certain filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) like N95 masks. It is the need of the hour to help health care personnel reuse FFRs as there is a limited supply of respirators during this COVID-19 pandemic. Bioburden reduction systems are not decontamination systems. However, they use dry heat to reduce the microorganisms (bioburden) present on these respirators, thus making the product reusable.
There is enough evidence that dry heat reduces the microbial load on certain respirators, and the bioburden reduction system will play a vital role in overcoming the shortage of FFRs. The FDA has issued emergency use authorization (EUA) for decontaminating compatible FFRs. This is the first EUA issued for the use of dry heat as a bioburden reduction system. The policy applies to- FFRs not having exhalation valves Not…
