AIIMS asks healthcare workers to reuse N95 masks

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences Delhi, on Tuesday issued a circular on N95 masks, asking the healthcare workers to re-use them after disinfecting the masks.

The circular said, "It is imperative that in accordance with the evidence based on scientific literature, these 95 masks are to be disinfected by individual users, by keeping them in open after use or by other methods, and re-used at least 4 times each, whereby these will suffice for about 20 days".

According to the circular, AIIMS will provide the N95 masks to each healthcare worker, involved in direct patient care. This includes, doctors, both Faculty and Residents, nursing officers, technical staff, security guards and maintenance staff.

The masks will be provided to doctors from all departments through representative Heads of the Departments. Nursing officers and security guards, who are posted in patient care areas, will be provided the N95 masks through nursing officials, while the maintenance staff will be given the mask as and when required.

Each healthcare worker shall be provided 5 N95 masks.

The circular was issued by Medical Superintendent of AIIMS Dr D.K. Sharma with the approval of AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria. IANS