20-06_N95_Extended_or_Reuse

MOUNTAIN VIEW POLICE DEPARTMENT SPECIAL SERVICES SECTION TRAINING AND INFORMATION BULLETIN PAGE 1 OF 3 CONFIDENTIAL  FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT USE ONLY 2020 DATE: March 27, 2020 BULLETIN NUMBER: 20-06 SUBJECT: Guidance for Extended Use and Limited Reuse of N95 Filtering Respirators INFORMATION: This document recommends practices for extended use and limited reuse of N95 respirators. Supplies of N95 respirators can become depleted during influenza pandemic or wide -spread outbreaks of other infectious respiratory illnesses. Existing CDC guidelines recommend a combination of approa ches to conserve supplies while safeguarding first responders. In order to preserve the current supply of N95 respirators, we can minimize the number of individuals who need to use respiratory protection by adhering to the following guidelines:  Limit response to service calls to just the necessary number of officers unless there is a safety concern.  MEDICAL CALLS: If responding to a medical call to assist fire, keep your distance and allow fire personnel to summon your assistance only if needed Fire procedures attempt to do an initial assessment from the doorway and perform as much of their medical process in a well -ventilated area and outside if possible. If medical personnel are conducting any procedure that generates an aerosol you should be out of the room or be a t a greater distance.  Use your discretion when responding to certain calls. For example: If you are dispatched to the outside of the library for a subject screaming, you may want to evaluate from a distance for either a ny medi cal need s or a possible psychological hold per 5150 WI. Screaming is not a crime. If the subject does not have a medical need or there is no need for a psychological hold , just document the encounter. You may refer the subject to CSA or other services as n eeded.  Evaluate if there is a need to wear a respirator. For example if you are responding to an alarm call, chances are you are not going to make contact with a subject. Therefore the recommendation is probably not to wear a respirator. MOUNTAIN VIEW POLICE DEPARTMENT SPECIAL SERVICES SECTION TRAINING AND INFORMATION BULLETIN PAGE 2 OF 3 CONFIDENTIAL  FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT USE ONLY 2020 Respirator Reu se Recommendations The CDC recommends practicing the “reuse” method. Reuse refers to the practice of using the same N95 respirator for multiple encount ers but removing it after each encounter. The respirator is stored in between encounter s to be put on ag ain prior to the next encounter with a subject. For pathogens in which contact transmission is not a concern, non -emergency reuse has been practiced for decades. Even when N95 respirator reuse is practiced or recommended, restrictions are in place which li mit the number of times the same respirator is reused. Thus, N95 respirator reuse is often referred to as “limited reuse.” Limited reuse has been recommended and widely used as an option for conserving respirators during previous respiratory pathogen outbr eaks and pandemics. Use new latex gloves each time you put on and take off the N95 respirator. Do not just drop and let it hang at neck level. Respirator Extended Use Recommendations Extended use refers to the practice of wearing the same N95 respirator for repeated close contact encounters, without removing the respirator between contacts. The CDC recommends the extended use as an option for conserving respirators during previous respiratory pathogen outbreaks and pandemics. Extended use is f avored over reuse because it is expected to involve less touching of the respirator and therefore less risk of contact transmission. A key consideration for safe extended use is that the respirator must maintain its fit and function. Workers in other indus tries routinely use N95 respirators for several hours uninterrupted. Experience in these settings indicates that respirators can function within their design specifications for 8 hours of continuous or intermittent use. Thus, the maximum length of continuo us use is typically dictated by hygienic concerns (e.g., the respirator was discarded because it became contaminated) or practical considerations (e.g., need to use the restroom, meal breaks, etc.), rather than a pre -determined number of hours. For our pu rposes extended use is primarily used when making repeated contacts in close succession or within a medical facility while on post maintaining custody of a prisoner. MOUNTAIN VIEW POLICE DEPARTMENT SPECIAL SERVICES SECTION TRAINING AND INFORMATION BULLETIN PAGE 3 OF 3 CONFIDENTIAL  FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT USE ONLY 2020 The following steps to reduc e contact transmission after putting on the respirator :  Discard N95 respirators contaminated with o Blood o Respiratory or nasal secretions o Other bodily fluids  Discard N95 respirators following close contact with, or exit from, the care area of any patient infected with an infectious disease requiring contact precautions.  Vigorously clean hands with soap and water or an alcohol -based hand sanitizer before and after touching or adjusting the respirator (if necessary for comfort or to maintain fit).  Discard any respirator that is obviously damaged or becomes h ard to breathe through.  Keep respirators in a breathable container such as a paper bag between uses . To minimize potential cross -cont