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N95 masks should no longer be reused, FDA says

The ration and reuse of N95 face masks made in USA are about to end. This is because the Joe Biden administration is taking quick steps toward ending the emergency which has caused hospitals and healthcare organizations to do so.

N95 face masks present the first line of defense between the deadly COVID-19 and the frontline workers fighting against it. Since they were highly in demand, the supply went short and people were advised to use the masks for an extended time. Proper guidelines were generated and circulated for providers to ration, clean, and reuse disposable personal protective equipment. The doctors and nurses were issued an N95 mask once a week which was to be tossed after every patient. However, this extended use and reuse of N95 masks triggered inadequate protection and resulted in the death of thousands of medical care providers. They were exposed and infected to the virus because the reused masks didn’t ensure enough safety. 

The situation, nowadays, is much stable. Many American manufacturers claim that they have a vast or surplus amount of masks for sales and can provide the hospitals and health organizations with stockpiles for almost 3-12 months. Since there is enough supply of N95 face masks made in USA, the government has asked the medical personnel to return to one mask per patient.

The US FDA is strongly recommending people to transit away from conservation strategies used during the crisis. However, reusing and sterilizing N95 manufactured in USA was still legal and permitted. In the coming days, the FDA is expected to issue updates and revert to single-use every day. The American population can practice contingency and conventional strategies like using the mask during one interaction and disposing it off later.           

CEOs from the biggest N95 mask manufacturing brands have told media that N95 and other personal protective equipment are mostly designed for single-use and are never recommended for reusing from patients to patients. Therefore, extended use and that too when the infection rate is at its peak is never a safe idea.

Government officials and manufacturers are now working hand-in-hand to address the outcomes of the PPE shortage in America. They are trying hard to ensure that such a situation never pops up in the future and if it does, the healthcare staff must be provided with a good backup supply. So that, we don’t have to give up on the lives of our frontline fighters.

During the shortage of masks, many startups emerged and took over the market like a pro! ALG health is one of them. It was a startup initiated with the sole aim of meeting the high demand for N95 face masks made in USA.  Their product is famous as “Patriot Mask” and is of high quality ensuring high safety. The variety of masks by ALG health is good enough to provide you with an extensive product range to choose from. If you’re looking to buy some genuine face masks with 95% or more efficiency, ALG health is your go-to retailer.