Description

The purpose of SHABRI’s Last Resort Mask is to offer the general population a degree of protection from airborne particles and prevent spreading liquid contaminating the airways. SHABRI’s Last Resort Mask uses a filtration material that is comparable to N95 masks. Surgical masks do not provide complete protection from germs and other contaminants due to their loose fit 2 . In addition, surgical masks are not intended to be used more than once. Furthermore, to safely discard used masks the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends placing these items it in a plastic bag and put it in the trash, then wash your hands after handling the used mask 2 . SHABRI’s Last Resort Mask uses a reusable and recyclable polymer and disposable filters to protect the general population from airborne particles. The porous configuration of 3D printed plastic parts (6-8 µm) and the difficulties to sterilize them can complicate the use of additive manufacturing for the development of protective masks, However, SHABRI’s specialized manufacturing process is able to produce layers that stop small molecules that are 0.000282 µm in size. Steps for Cleaning and Disinfection of Respiratory Equipment 4 *Personal protective equipment is required when cleaning or processing equipment and instruments, to protect against splashing, spraying or aerosols. Washing: Wash the equipment with soap (e.g. liquid dish soap) and clean water. Rinsing: Rinse the equipment completely with clean water. Disinfect: Disinfect the equipment to inactivate any remaining pathogens. Use chemical disinfection if plastic part cannot tolerate 80°C. Different countries have different disinfection protocols. Here are the most accessible chemical germicides and methods: . Method 1: Alcohol is effective against influenza virus. Ethyl alcohol (70%) is a powerful broad-spectrum germicide and is considered generally superior to isopropyl alcohol. Since alcohol is flammable, limit its use as a surface disinfectant to small surface-areas and use it in well-ventilated spaces only. Prolonged and repeated use of alcohol as a disinfectant can also cause discoloration, swelling, hardening and cracking of rubber and certain plastics. . Method 2: Most household bleach solutions contain 5% sodium hypochlorite (50, 000 parts per million available chlorine). Recommended dilution: 1:100 dilution of 5% sodium hypochlorite is the usual recommendation. Use 1-part bleach to 99 parts cold tap water (1:100 dilution) for disinfection of surfaces. Adjust ratio of bleach to water as needed to achieve appropriate concentration of sodium hypochlorite. For example, for bleach preparations containing 2.5% sodium hypochlorite, use twice as much bleach (i.e. 2 parts bleach to 98 parts water). Rinsing: If using chemical disinfection, rinse with sterile or clean water (i.e. water boiled for 5 minutes and cooled). Sterile water is preferred for rinsing off residual liquid chemical disinfectant from a respiratory device that has been chemically disinfected for reuse, because tap or distilled water may harbour microorganisms that can cause pneumonia. However, when rinsing with sterile water is not feasible, instead, rinse with tap water or filtered water (i.e. water passed through a 0.2 μ filter). Disinfection by immersion is recommended with a contact time of 30 minutes. Dry equipment: Follow the previous step by an alcohol rinse and forced-air drying. Store: Store equipment dry in closed packages. Literature (cited references) 1. Anna Davies, et al. Testing the Efficacy of Homemade Masks: Would They Protect in an Influenza Pandemic? Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, Available on CJO 2013 doi:10.1017/dmp.2013.43 2. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/personal-protective-equipment-infection-control/n95-respirators-and-surgical-masks-face-masks. Accessed March 20, 2020 3. Roberge RJ. Face shields for infection control: A review. J Occup Environ Hyg. 2016;13(4):235–242. doi:10.1080/15459624.2015.1095302 4. Infection Prevention and Control of Epidemic- and Pandemic-Prone Acute Respiratory Infections in Health Care. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2014. Annex I, Cleaning and disinfection of respiratory equipment. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK214361 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK214361) Reviewer comments Dear author, In order to proceed with review or your submission we need additional information regarding manufacturing methods - what is material used for production of your mask? And more clarification regarding filter media suggested for the mask. Do you have testing or verification data for material? in question? Please update at your earliest convenience. Thank you. Sincerely, VA REVIEW TEAM Response to reviewer comments 1) What is the material used for production of your mask? The material used is Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), the commercial name is MDFlex manufactured by Copper3D Inc. Copper 3D MD