Reusable elastomeric respirators, rarely used in health care, are an effective and viable option for protecting health care workers from airborne contaminants or infectious agents, according to a report released today by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Challenges to implementing them in health care include storage, disinfection and maintenance; training and education; user comfort and tolerability; and supply logistics and emergency stockpiling, the study committee said. The study calls for research on ways to enhance their design for health care; effective cleaning, disinfection and maintenance processes; and fit test and training methods. It also recommends including reusable respirators in respiratory protection curricula for health care professionals; harmonizing federal guidance and operating procedures for these respirators; and sharing best practices. The study was sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Related News Articles

Headline
There have been 1,024 confirmed cases of measles across the U.S. so far in 2025, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and…
Headline
There have been 1,001 confirmed cases of measles across the U.S. so far in 2025, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and…
Headline
Though seasonal flu activity is low or minimal across the country, 216 pediatric deaths associated with seasonal influenza virus infection have been tallied so…
Headline
The U.S. has had 935 confirmed cases of measles so far this year, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cases have…
Headline
There have been 884 confirmed cases of measles nationwide so far this year, with cases reported by 29 states, according to the latest data from the…
Headline
There have been 8,064 reported cases of whooping cough in the U.S. so far this year, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and…