Engineers work to disinfect N95 masks for medical personnel
Virus removal approaches, mask resilience and mask fit are all being tested.
The N95 respirator mask is, for many medical care professionals, the first line of defense against COVID-19 and dwindling supplies are one of the biggest threats to health systems during this pandemic.
University of Michigan engineers are working quickly to address the shortage by developing efficient, effective and scalable ways to disinfect masks, which are typically discarded after one use. As part of the effort, they’re testing whether the masks still work—and fit well—after repeated rounds of treatment. A viable means of getting multiple uses from masks would help protect doctors and nurses until more masks can be produced.