Q: I am 51 and have several older relatives with lung problems that I try to visit regularly. I read that last week, 18,000 Americans were hospitalized with COVID infections and want to do everything I can to avoid giving it to any of the relatives I visit. I have two N-95 face masks already, but am having difficulty finding more, but also realize I need to wear one when I visit anyone with significant lung diseases. Is there any proven method to extend the usable life of the masks I have, until I can find more?
A: There is. Because of a past shortage of face masks for health care workers, there was great interest in finding ways to reuse the face masks.
In a very carefully done study published about two years ago, by the Department of Pathology at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Massachusetts General Hospital, both in Boston, in association with Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it was shown that N-95 masks, which are the types worn by doctors and nurses dealing with patients with highly infectious diseases, and also home-made masks, can be sterilized for reuse up to 20 times, without affecting their ability to filter out virus particles or their fit to the wearer’s face. There are several methods that can be used, but nearly all of them rely upon equipment not readily available to the average homeowner, or upon carcinogenic chemicals.
The study focused on a new method that used only readily available household items. It requires the use of a 6.5 inch by 6.5 inch by 3 inch deep Pyrex baking dish, with a mesh stretched over the top, held in place with a large rubber band. Mesh from a supermarket produce bag works perfectly. Pour one quarter cup of tap water into the dish, place the mask to be sterilized on top of the mesh, making sure that no part of it, including the elastic, hangs over the edge of the dish, and place it in an 1100-1150 watt microwave oven, preferably one with a turntable.
“Cooking” this assembly for three minutes was shown, through very rigorous study methods, to completely sterilize the entire mask; the study authors also reported that, even if there was a small amount of metal in the mask, no sparks occurred during the process, making it safe to use in the home.
I want to thank James G. for this question. To learn more about this and many other health topics, visit the American Academy of Family Physicians’ website familydoctor.org, where you can click on the Search box in the upper right corner of the website, and enter your topic of interest.
If you have a topic you would like to hear more about, please message me at paulmdake@gmail.com.
Dr. Paul Dake, a Newberry native, is a retired family physician. He lives in Pinconning, Michigan.
