Healthcare workers and first responders are facing dwindling supplies of needed personal protective equipment (PPE) while treating COVID-19 patients. Though some companies have stepped in to modify machines and produce N95 masks and other equipment, the shortage is impacting workers already.
The University of Florida’s health department is reporting that anesthesiology professor Bruce Spiess, M.D., got creative, making “a simple respirator mask from the sterile wrapping that is normally used to surround surgical instrument trays before they pass through gas sterilization or an autoclave,” using Halyard H600.
The two-ply spun polypropylene, which is designed to wrap extra heavy instrument sets (such as those used in orthopedic or cardiovascular procedures), cannot be penetrated by water, bacteria or particles. Each 4x4 ft sheet can produce approximately 10 masks, and the department reports approximately 500 to 1000 sheets are available each day.
