Scientific Protection’s respiratory protection team specializes in air-purifying escape respirator development using P100 or R100 particulate filters.
Scientific Protection is currently making Simple Respiratory Masks using its R100 particulate filter for emergency use by the general public to reduce Covid infection risk.
The mainstay of respiratory protection in healthcare against diseases such as Coronavirus/Covid-19 are N95/P3 Filtering Facepiece Respirators.
However, the Covid-19 outbreak has led CDC in the USA and other national and international regulatory bodies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue updated guidance and Emergency Use Authorizations allowing the use of all NIOSH approved particulate filtering air-purifying respirators and also non NIOSH-approved particulate filtering air-purifying respirators. CDC has suggested useful alternative respirators which healthcare workers and the general public may not be aware of as viable options for respiratory protection in the event of a shortage of N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirators.
CDC in the USA and other national public health agencies, as well as major news outlets have also recommended that the general public wear a basic cloth mask in public and published guidance on how to make a simple hand-made washable mask of cotton gauze that offers useful protection if commercial masks are not available.
In order to reduce/prevent transmission in medical settings, SPS recommends that in high-risk Covid situations medical staff in hospitals and other healthcare facilities including ambulances should use certified power-assisted full face mask respirators and provide N95/P3 particulate filtering air-purifying respirators to patients.
Respiratory Protective Equipment and Covid-19, Journal of the International Society for Respiratory Protection (ISRP) Letter to the Editor – by Robin Howie, Volume 37 , Number 1, 2020.
Elastomeric Half-Facepiece Respirators (EHFR) as Alternative.
Powered Air-Purifying Respirators (PAPRS) as Alternative.
Simple Hand-Made Respiratory Mask – CDC as Emergency Alternative.
How to Sew a Fabric Face Mask – New York Times
Which DIY Mask Pattern Should You Use? – Washington Post
- FDA Emergency Use Authorization March 28 2020 of all disposable Filtering Facepiece Respirators (FFRs) as well as Non-powered air-purifying particulate FFRs, reusable respirators, Powered Air Purifying Respirators (PAPRs), FFRs that are past their shelf-life
- FDA Emergency Use Authorization of non-NIOSH approved imported FFRs including FFP3 and FFP2 respirators that are European certified under EN149-2001.
- Health Alerts – CDC Health Alert Network
- Coronavirus Guidance & Resources – CDC
- NIOSH Approved Particulate Filtering Respirators – US National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) – CDC
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