Protection levels of N95-level respirator substitutes proposed during the COVID-19 pandemic: safety concerns and quantitative evaluation procedures.

David H BallardAudrey J DangBenjamin M KumferPatricia B WeisenseeJ Mark MeachamAlex R ScottMary Ruppert-StroescuBroc A BurkeJason MorrisConnie GanJesse HuBradley KingUdayabhanu JammalamadakaSena SayoodStephen LiangShruti ChoudharyDavid DhanrajBruno MaranhaoChristine MillarJ Tyler BertrocheNirah ShomerPamela K WoodardPratim BiswasRichard AxelbaumGuy GeninBrent J WilliamsKathleen Meacham

Published in: BMJ open (2021)

Testing protocols such as those described here are essential to evaluate proposed improvised respiratory protection substitutes, and our testing platform could be replicated by teams with similar cross-disciplinary research capacity. Healthcare professionals should be cautious of claims associated with improvised respirators when suggested as FFR substitutes.

Keyphrases

health insurance
high resolution
high throughput
mass spectrometry
single cell