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Germicidal ultraviolet light to disinfect personal protective equipment to reduce nosocomial transmission of COVID-19 [Funder: MI4]

Grant number: unknown

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Key facts

  • Disease

    COVID-19

  • Funder

    Other Funders (Canada)

  • Principal Investigator

    Richard Menzies, Selena Sagan

  • Research Location

    Canada

  • Lead Research Institution

    McGill University

  • Research Priority Alignment

    N/A

  • Research Category

    Infection prevention and control

  • Research Subcategory

    Barriers, PPE, environmental, animal and vector control measures

  • Special Interest Tags

    N/A

  • Study Type

    Non-Clinical

  • Clinical Trial Details

    N/A

  • Broad Policy Alignment

    Pending

  • Age Group

    Not Applicable

  • Vulnerable Population

    Not applicable

  • Occupations of Interest

    Not applicable

Abstract

Many countries including Canada are facing shortages of personal protective equipment. Face masks, gowns and face shields are essential to keeping health care workers safe, and preventing transmission of COVID19, but the huge increase in demand means that hospitals across Canada have no choice but to ask workers to re-use this vital equipment. Respirologist and epidemiologist Dr. Dick Menzies, virologist Dr. Selena Sagan and their team are studying whether masks can be sterilized using ultraviolet (UV) light. The research team will test whether UV light is effective in sterilizing N95 masks, surgical masks and plastic face shields. They will also test whether the light degrades the filtration quality of the masks. If the UV lights are found to be effective, hospitals will have a made-in-Canada way to safely reuse much needed personal protective equipment.