Masks-Reuse of Them

EPIDEMIC AND PANDEMICALERT AND RESPONSEInfection prevention andcontrol of epidemic- andpandemic-prone acuterespiratory  diseases  inhealth  care
https://www.who.int/csr/resources/publications/WHO_CDS_EPR_2007_6c.pdf

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Respirators There are no published data on the length of time respirators are effective for the wearer. Respirators are disposable, but can be reused repeatedly by the same HCW when working with tuberculosis patients because tuberculosis has not been documented to spread by contact, and contamination of the respirator is not a concern in tuberculosis transmission. Humidity, dirt, and crushing reduce the efficiency of the respirator, and respirators should be stored in a clean, dry location. When used in the care of tuberculosis patients, respirators can be reused until they are wet, soiled, damaged, or difficult to breathe through (the filter will eventually become "clogged" with trapped particles making it difficult to breathe through).  Filtration efficiency actually increases as more particles are trapped in the filter. However, because many ARD pathogens, including SARS, avian or pandemic influenza, also can be spread by contact in addition to respiratory aerosols, contaminated respirators could play a role in disease transmission. The concern about the reuse of respirators and other equipment relates to surface contamination and the possible risks of self-contamination and self-inoculation that may result when HCWs handle potentially contaminated equipment.  Educating HCWs on how to safely remove, store, handle and re-apply potentially contaminated equipment is critical.   At this time, there are no recommendations on the reuse of respirators in the care of patients with ARDs that can be spread by different sizes of respiratory aerosol particles and by contact. Currently, it is recommended that medical masks and respirators be discarded after each use when used in the care of such patients.

Can you reuse an N95 face mask if using it to protect you from viruses?
https://www.answers.com/Q/Can_you_reuse_an_N95_face_mask_if_using_it_to_protect_you_from_viruses?fbclid=IwAR05zff-wmG7v4-u86wEjs0Kvfj5BvO25uw6zOekg7RoN6gg4REa3S0x3Q0

Not if you are wearing it to protect you from viruses or other sub-microscopic pathogens or pollution/fumes. These N95 masks are more like respirators than a cloth or paper surgical mask. None of these should be reused when used for medical purposes, they should be thrown away after each use since they may harbor some of the filtered particles on the outside that could contaminate people or environments. They can not be washed for reuse, either, this will potentially deform or disintegrate the mask rendering it ineffective. N95 masks must also be medically fit to your face or they will not be effective. They are not recommended for children or those with beards or mustaches because that can allow gaps for particles to enter around the mask. See more in the related questions section.

Recommended Guidance for Extended Use and Limited Reuse of N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirators in Healthcare Settings
https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/hcwcontrols/recommendedguidanceextuse.html?fbclid=IwAR2vDmO5jdqjNwlHm-rheNUJ8nQiKyv_FXGo2OZJCfWQpR3emoc7IjhFDWw

This document recommends practices for extended use and limited reuse of NIOSH-certified N95 filtering facepiece respirators (commonly called “N95 respirators”). The recommendations are intended for use by professionals who manage respiratory protection programs in healthcare institutions to protect health care workers from job-related risks of exposure to infectious respiratory illnesses. ---CONTINUED---

How to Clean Your N95 & N100 Masks For Re-use
https://paultmartin.com/blog/f/how-to-clean-your-n95-n100-masks-for-re-use?fbclid=IwAR072HqrfnsJJuUmmyANHZciisEwHXyBirByfKgfLu_Mu_LQlrxjC0P_iLE

  Short answer

What you will need:

   Used, non-washable mask (N95, N100 or other commercially made mask)
   Paper bag
   Oven
   Oven Thermometer (optional)   ---CONTINUED---

We have quite a few masks (surgical) what we do, is use one for each day of the week (7 masks). Once the masks are worn, we soak them in a mixture of bleach and water, let them drip dry in the sink and then hang them on the clothes line to dry.

Hopefully that will take care of business.