10/26/2009 - News
N95 Respirators Recommended to Protect Against Swine Flu
By: June Chen, MD
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The Institute of Medicine has issued recommendations on necessary respiratory protection against H1N1, or swine flu, for healthcare workers in the workplace. According to their report, healthcare workers who are in close contact with individuals with suspected or confirmed swine flu should use fit-tested N95 respirators.
N95 respirators fit more tightly against the skin than regular medical masks and are documented to filter out 95 to 99 percent of relevant airborne particles, including swine flu virus particles. They are most effective when properly fitted to the faces of users. The Institute of Medicine endorses the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines regarding respiratory protection against swine flu and also encourages the CDC to fund and undertake additional research to explore the effectiveness of personal respiratory protection in reducing the transmission of swine flu in various healthcare settings.
The Institute of Medicine also stresses that respiratory protection is only one component of a comprehensive infection control strategy, especially because the extent of airborne transmission of swine flu is not known.
Source:
Institute of Medicine website, available at www.iom.edu. Accessed September 9, 2009.
Created on: 09/15/2009
Reviewed on: 10/26/2009
Reviewed on: 10/26/2009
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