This Anti-COVID Mask Breaks the Mold
To address PPE shortages during the pandemic, scientists at Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley are developing a rechargeable, reusable, anti-COVID N95 mask and a 3D-printable silicon-cast mask mold.
Read more
PPE
Seeking the Most Effective Polymers for Personal Protective Equipment
Personal protective equipment, like face masks and gowns, is generally made of polymers. But not much attention is typically given to the selection of polymers used beyond their physical properties. To help with the identification of materials that will bind to a virus and speed its inactivation for use in PPE, researchers have developed a high-throughput approach for analyzing the interactions between materials and viruslike particles. They report their method in the journal Biointerphases.
Read moreThe Strategic Stockpile Failed; Experts Propose New Approach to Emergency Preparedness
A panel of academic and military experts is calling for a more dynamic, flexible approach to emergency preparedness at the national level.
Read more
Rutgers Alumni Donate PPE for Medical Students
The Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Alumni Association Board donated Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for third-and fourth-year medical students who are participating in clinical training in the hospital. Recognizing the importance of PPE in keeping students safe while providing care in a clinical setting, alumni board members ensured that our future physicians were protected and could focus on learning.
Read more
Plant-Based Spray Could be Used in N95 Masks and Energy Devices
Engineers have invented a way to spray extremely thin wires made of a plant-based material that could be used in N95 mask filters, devices that harvest energy for electricity, and potentially the creation of human organs. The method involves spraying methylcellulose, a renewable plastic material derived from plant cellulose, on 3D-printed and other objects ranging from electronics to plants, according to a Rutgers-led study in the journal Materials Horizons.
Read more
Story Tips From Johns Hopkins Experts On COVID-19
Johns Hopkins Medicine biomedical engineering student Christopher Shallal developed an initiative to keep health care teams safe by galvanizing community members to use 3D printers to make face shields. His mentors on the project were Elizabeth Logsdon, Ph.D., and Warren Grayson, Ph.D.
Read more
American Academy of Dermatology honors Detroit physician Iltefat H. Hamzavi with national “Patient Care Hero” award
The American Academy of Dermatology has named board-certified dermatologist Iltefat H. Hamzavi, MD, FAAD, a Patient Care Hero for his innovative use of light therapy to sanitize masks needed by frontline health care workers.
Read moreFDA Guidance Fails to Ensure Security of 3D-Printed Masks and PPE
New Brunswick, N.J. (Sept. 16, 2020) – FDA guidelines for making 3D-printed masks, face shields and other personal protective equipment
Read more
Face masks, reduced capacity critical when reopening K-12 schools in Indiana, according to new study
A new study by researchers at Notre Dame cautions that K-12 schools reopening to full capacity with little to no compliance of safety measures such as face masks could drive infections up to an estimated 2.49 million in Indiana alone, with more than 9,000 deaths by the end of 2020.
Read more
It Takes More than Plexiglass to Protect Against Aerosolized SARS-CoV-2
The FDA just revoked their EUA for intubation boxes – plastic shields that supposedly protect health care workers from becoming infected with SARS-CoV-2 – due to concerns over aerosol leaks. This study describes a better box, with negative pressure and filtration, that contains airborne virus.
Read moreTechnion’s Nanofiber PPE Sticker Now In Mass Production
The COVID-busting ‘Maya’ sticker developed by Technion researchers has gone into mass production. Comprised of a nanofiber sheet, the unique sticker can be easily adhered to a protective mask, significantly improving its effectiveness against the novel coronavirus.
Researchers Create Mask Filtration Effectiveness Hierarchy
Infection prevention experts at the UNC Medical Center set out to gather evidence on the fitted filtration efficiency of dozens of different types of masks and mask modifications, including masks sterilized for reuse, expired masks, novel masks sourced from domestic and overseas sources, and homemade masks.
Read more