FDA recommends healthcare workers transition away from decontaminated N95 masks

Editor's Note

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), on April 9, sent a letter to healthcare providers recommending they “transition away from crisis capacity conservation strategies,” including disinfection and reuse of N95 masks.

Though the FDA believes there is an adequate supply of N95s now to facilitate this transition, the agency is not revoking the emergency use authorizations for decontamination and bioburden reduction systems at this time.

The FDA says it will continue to monitor supply and demand to assess N95 availability as facilities transition away from N95 conservation to contingency and eventually conventional use.