Waste Not, Want Not: Re-Usability of N95 Masks

As the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) illnesses continues to escalate amidst a substandard supply of protective equipment for health care providers, the question of extended use or reuse of N95 masks has emerged. As well, the relative effectiveness of the N95 compared to other mask types has been entertained. A recent article by Abd-Elsayed and Karri¹ aim to put these topics into focus. In addition, personal correspondence between Drs Richard Prielipp (Department of Anesthesiology, University of Minnesota) and Peter Tsai (inventor of the N95 mask) offers perspectives on managing the reuse of this central element of protective equipment.