👋 Hello everyone. We hope you and your families are safe and sound. Here is another edition of our Help Hospitals newsletter. Let’s get right to it!
Top Mask & PPE GoFundMe’s!
We have seen some incredible work being done with some of the top masks and PPE GoFundMe’s. Here is a list of some of the more significant fundraisers that have caught our eye lately. It is inspiring to see people working together to raise funds for doctors & nurses!
Guide to Mask Testing!
This is an Individual Smell Fit test (Qualitative Fit Testing) where the individual- with the help of a test administrator- tries to see if the mask properly works and prevents the noxious smell from reaching the wearer.
Mask testing is essential to make sure that the masks are authentic and provide a proper filter. Without a real, genuine N95 mask, the hospital staff is left exposed to Covid-19. Recently, we have seen way too many examples of fake masks come over from China. That’s no good. In order to decipher the reals from the fakes, there have been a couple of testing techniques put in place, which we will cover below.
The protective gear such as the N95 mask must go through a laboratory performance evaluation- or what we call fit testing. According to 3M, one of the leading providers of our healthcare protective gear, they are conducting two types of tests: Individual Smell Testing & Instrument testing.
Individual Smell Testing (Qualitative Fit Testing QLFT) - is a kind of test that relies on the user’s sense of smell to determine whether there is any leak in the seal of the mask around the tester’s face. You can see a picture of it in action above. And here is a video of it in action. There are procedures in place that include testing at a sensitivity level that establishes if the tester would be able to sense the presence of foreign agents by taste, smell, or cough while wearing the mask. If any of these agents can be detected while wearing the mask, it must be changed or adjusted to provide a secure fit.
Instrument Testing (Quantitative Fit Testing QNFT) involves using an instrument to measure the leakage around the face seal. This method is used most commonly to test full-face respirators and masks, but it can be used to test any tight-fitting mask. In order to pass a QNFT, no taste or smell should be detected by the wearer.
Fit test companies you could possibly use:
Concentra provides both qualitative and quantitative fit tests, along with a respirator consultation to make sure you and your employees are properly protected. While Concentra’s headquarters is in Texas, they serve 44 different states- including the San Francisco Bay area. Corporate headquarters:
5080 Spectrum Dr, Suite 1200W, Addison, TX 75001
Mobile Health provides mask fit testing options that are mandated by OSHA: qualitative test, pulmonary function test, and respiratory hazards test. These tests make sure the mask filters scents properly, fits the face of each employee, and tests the environment for different hazards. Mobile Health serves areas all across New York. Corporate Headquarters:
229 West 36th St, New York, New York 10018
4C Air provides testing of mask filtration efficiency. They do not offer mask fit tests, but rather filter quality tests. They currently use industry-standard TSI 8130A for testing of all masks, including the N95. 4C Air serves the area of Sunnyvale, California. Corporate Headquarters:
1147 Tasman Dr, Sunnyvale, CA 94089
Donna Elliot
Donna provides mask fit testing in NYC for hospitals and companies. She can be reached at donna@sesllc.org or by phone at 631-484-5529.
Mask Twitter list!
We are starting a Twitter list for mask teams. Feel free to subscribe to stay up to date! You can scroll through all of the latest updates.
🔗 https://twitter.com/i/lists/1256517131144851457
Good News & Updates
We all need more positive, good news in our lives. Take a peek at these quick uplifting stories- proof that good things around the world are happening.
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