N95 respirator decontamination discontinued

On Friday, July 10, the vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VHP) disinfection/decontamination process for N95 masks was discontinued on the Medical Campus. FDA guidelines released in early June significantly limited the types of N95 respirators appropriate for VHP disinfection. As a result, utilization has been extremely low.

Current N95 conservation guidelines will remain in place until supply catches up to demand. N95 users should continue to store issued N95s in a paper bag marked with name and date of first use. N95s can be worn for up to five shifts, if established discard criteria are not met first. Proper hand hygiene and user seal checks remain critical steps to ensure staff safety. The VHP disinfection process may be reinstated on short notice if the need arises.