Coronavirus: Treat FFP2 masks to reuse them?Current possibilities are limited

Faced with the shortage, an American nurse entrusts a local newspaper that was asked to wear again an FFP2 mask, normally intended for a single use. Les soignants peuvent-ils réutiliser les masques FFP2 ? Une étude dévoilée le 23 mars par des chercheurs de l’université américaine​ de Stanford s'est penchée sur la question.

Two methods stand out from the study: an air at 70 ° C for thirty minutes in an oven, which is not that of your home, underline scientists, and a passage to water vapor.Does this mean that these methods can be adopted?Stanford researchers are very careful: they recall that "we do not know how to wear the same mask several times affects the adjustment [on the face] of N95 masks (equivalent of FFP2)".

Not a miracle solution

In France, practice is not recommended.The French Hospital Hygiene Society (SF2H) specified on March 14 that masks should not be reused "as soon as they have been manipulated and removed from the face.»»

These methods tested by the American University are not miracle solutions to the lack of masks, explains Pierre Parneix, public health doctor and hospital hygiene at the Bordeaux CHU and former SF2H SF2H at 20.He sees several obstacles to these processes: it would be necessary to check the number of times they can be used without altering the barriers of masks.It should also be ensured that these processes ensure total decontamination of the mask. « Dans la plupart des études qui sont faites, ils ne font qu’un seul traitement, ils regardent si ça marche une fois, mais pas plusieurs fois»», développe Pierre Parneix. Le spécialiste rappelle également « qu’à chaque fois que l’on manipule ces masques, on a un risque de se contaminer»».

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A limit to the number of times the mask can be treated

Several processes have already been the subject of tests, he recalls: "Ultraviolets have shown efficiency.The difficulty of the UV is that it must be able to spread it everywhere.Some studies have shown that, depending on the form of the mask, UVs go in certain places, but they do not go to others.»»

An industrial sterilization process at low temperature, the Sterrad process, tested by researchers from the Public Health Institute of the Environment of the Netherlands, "would appear reliable, underlines Pierre Parneix.On the other hand, after three times, the mask was destroyed.Even a structured process like this, reprocessing would be a priori very limited.»»

Authorize the extension of the duration of the mask wearing

« Aujourd’hui, l’arsenal qu’on a [pour retraiter ces masques] est très limité»», résume-t-il.How to deal with supply difficulties?The SFP2H recommends allowing the extension of the length of port of the mask during the day.

Qu’en est-il des masques chirurgicaux et des masques en tissus ? « Pour les masques chirurgicaux, il n’y a pas de procédé de retraitement»», rappelle Pierre Parneix.For fabric masks, ironing over 110 ° C could be effective.But beware, before wearing a fabric mask, it must already protect properly, which is not the case for all models.

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