PPE and other Covid-19 protections
Decontamination
Beginning in March 2020, many hospitals and other healthcare employers have turned to decontaminating single-use N95 respirators to be reused multiple times, given reports of PPE shortages. Several states have now begun reopening but have not taken substantial action to increase PPE production. Instead states and employers are relying on potentially dangerous decontamination methods. NNU has evaluated the available evidence on decontamination methods and determined NO METHOD IS BOTH SAFE AND EFFECTIVE. Please click on the following link to find out more about these unsafe and unproven methods.
Documents and Flyers
- Multiple Measures, Including Masks, Needed to Curb Covid-19 (May 2021)
- Study Confirms: N95 respirators are for single use only! (April 2021)
- Update on FDA and CDC positions on crisis standards for N95 respirators (April 2021)
- N95 Respirators >> NIOSH Approvals and Background Info (April 2021)
- The Covid Exposure Blame Game (Feb. 2021)
- Scientific Brief » Post-Exposure Isolation Period for Covid-19 (Jan. 2021)
- NNU Health and Safety PPE Report (Dec. 2020)
- Alert: Reusing N95 Respirators is Dangerous (Nov. 2020)
- Standards for Hospital Safety During the Covid-19 Pandemic (Aug. 2020)
- Advocating for Better PPE for Nurses: Elastomerics and PAPRs (Aug. 2020)
- N95 Respirator Decontamination Methods Unproven and Unsafe (full report) (July 2020)
- N95 Respirator Decontamination Methods Unproven and Unsafe (one page summary) (July 2020)
- Droplet vs. Airborne: How is SARS-CoV-2 Transmitted? (July 2020)
- FDA Says N95 Decontamination Cannot be Described as “Safe or Effective” (June 2020)
- Model Standards for COVID-19 Surge » Hospital Preparation, Response, and Safety (April 2020)
- Safety Requirements for Hospitals Reopening Procedural and Outpatient Areas (May 2020)
- Battelle N95 Decontamination System is Not Safe and May Not Work (May 2020)
- N95 Respirator Decontamination Alert (April 2020)
- FAQ on Reuse of N95 Respirators (April 2020)
- N95 Respirator Decontamination and Reuse is Unsafe (March 2020)
- CNA/California COVID-19 Status Flyer (March 2020)
- What Your Employers Should Provide: Protections at Work for COVID-19 (March 2020)
- California Nurses Know Your Rights: Protections at Work for COVID-19 (March 2020)