What Is a Reusable Respirator and What Does It Do?
One thing that helped keep healthcare workers safe during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was the use of respirators. The problem is that due to increased demand, there was a shortage. In turn, disposable respirators were often used for longer than intended, reducing their efficacy. One way to prevent a shortage in the future is to switch from using single-use masks to reusable respirators.
The question is: Why isn’t the reusable respirator a standard in healthcare already? In addition to lasting longer, the Teal Bio Respirator can help reduce waste. It's also designed to be more comfortable than single-use respirators, and because it's transparent, allows people to read lips and see facial expressions for more effective communication.
But First, What Is a Reusable Respirator?
A reusable respirator is a mask that protects people from inhaling infectious and often dangerous particles. There are a few different types, but those used by healthcare workers are categorized as air purifying respirators (APRs), and they cover the nose and mouth. These types of respirators fit tightly on the face and use things like filters to remove or block gases, chemicals, and other contaminants in the air. Prior to using a respirator in an occupational setting, users are often required to get fit tested to show that a particular respirator provides a tight seal. Fit testing ensures the user is appropriately protected from harmful contaminants.
What Does a Reusable Respirator Do?
A reusable half-mask respirator fits over the nose and mouth (similar to a surgical mask), and uses filters or the mask's own material to block dangerous particles from entering the nose and mouth. The better the mask fits, the more protection it can provide. What’s more, when a respirator fits properly on the face, it creates an airtight seal to keep airborne particles and substances out.
Reusable Respirator vs. Single-Use
Photo by CDC via Pexels
There are a few differences between a reusable respirator and the standard N95 mask, also called a filtering facepiece respirator (FFR), as shown above. A reusable respirator covers the nose and mouth and uses filters to block out particles. For example, the reusable Teal Bio Respirator has a silicone mask with partially biodegradable filters constructed with a specially sourced wool blend. Although the filters need to be replaced more often, it is expected that the silicone mask can be used and reused for up to one year before requiring replacement. It’s also moldable, providing a custom fit on each face.
On the other hand, single-use N95 respirators are meant to be disposable. However, during the COVID-19 public health emergency, when healthcare workers were reusing disposable PPE due to shortages, the CDC provided guidance to limit the number of reuses to no more than five times. The N95 respirator has edges that fit tightly against the skin to create a seal; however, instead of filters, it uses an air-filtering fabric to attract particles through electrostatically charged fibers.
The reusable Teal Bio Respirator also has a transparent silicone mask, which allows healthcare workers to read lips and see facial expressions for more effective communication. Traditional, disposable masks like the N95 often make it hard to hear what another person is saying, and this disproportionately impacts people with hearing disabilities and low English proficiency (LEP).
Where can I buy a reusable respirator?
While you can search Amazon for reusable respirators, you won’t find one with a transparent mask like the Teal Bio Respirator. You can check out the Teal Bio Respirator on our website and join the waitlist today. You’ll be notified by email as soon as it’s available.
Reusable Respirators Could Change the Healthcare Industry
Reusable respirators like Teal Bio’s have the ability to create positive change in the healthcare industry. For one, the Teal Bio Respirator has a soft, moldable mask body and adjustable straps to provide a more custom fit. The original N95 mask was designed for men, but in current times, the majority of the healthcare workforce is women. This poses a major problem. That’s why the Teal Bio Respirator’s moldable mask provides a more custom fit for most face sizes and shapes. Plus, it was designed around scans of real healthcare workers’ faces —and with all genders in mind.
Additionally, by providing a more custom fit, it’s naturally more comfortable. This is important in helping healthcare workers who endure long shifts regularly. It can be hard to focus when you're distracted by discomfort, making this important when it comes to one’s overall productivity level.
Finally, because the Teal Bio Respirator is reusable, it can help reduce waste, which is essential when you consider the fact that hospitals are one of the largest contributors to global waste. According to an article published in the BMJ Open, providing healthcare workers with one N95 mask per day would result in 37.22 million kilograms (approximately 82 million pounds) of waste. Comparatively, reusable respirators could reduce that number by nearly 21.5 million kilograms (about 47.4 million pounds). That’s a big difference, but by making the switch, we’re confident we can do it.
