Battelle helping supply N95 face masks

While we are all aware of the COVID-19, while this has spread drastically, resources are now running out. For example, Face masks are being used by healthcare workers, grocery store employees, law enforcement, and citizens. Everyone is now scrambling to find protective gear. With such sudden high demand comes production. The COVID-19 numbers are growing and growing each day, making the demand for face masks to go up. However, production takes time, and along with production comes the materials for all different kinds of face masks being used.

One company trying to help the supply of face masks by reusing and cleaning them is Battelle. Battelle is a company located in Columbus, Ohio. Battelle conducts research and development, manages laboratories, design and manufacture products, and deliver critical services to clients. The company's goal is to be a significant force in science and technology.

Recently the FDA approved that they will clean much needed N95 face masks and allow them to be reused. Battelle says," its Critical Care Decontamination Systems could decontaminate up to 80,000 masks per day." However, Trump made its initial limit 10,000. Battelle uses a vapor phase hydrogen peroxide to decontaminate the masks being used by healthcare providers to protect them. Following criticism from the Ohio government, Mike Dewine and the FDA lifted the restriction on the number of masks that Battelle can make. After the debate on the restriction of masks able to be cleaned several hours later from the debate, the FDA changed the use of the Battelle process from partial to full.

The department spending all their time cleaning these masks is their CCDS(Critical Care Decontamination). Battelle has now started rapidly producing. When the masks are being cleaned by the vapor phase, hydrogen peroxide takes 2.5 hours to fully decontaminate them. Delany states, "This past week, Battelle started building systems at one of its manufacturing operations in Columbus for shipment to sites around the country. The first completed system is in transit and will be placed at an undisclosed location in the New York metropolitan area to address that city's critical shortage of PPE needed by healthcare workers and first responders."

In conclusion, Battelle will drastically help reuse and clean face masks. Battelle is a highly respectable company in a crucial time like this. For decades, Battelle has helped serve the military by protecting troops from chemical and biological hazards. In the future, Battelle plans to collect masks daily with an improved system to help clean and reuse masks.