Governor announces deployment of N95 decontamination unit in Missouri…masks can be decontaminated up to 20 times

 In Wednesdays COVID-19 briefing, Governor Parson announced the deployment of a decontamination system in Missouri to assist with the N95 mask shortage.

Governor Parson was joined by CoxHealth Medical Director of Infectious Diseases Dr. Robin Trotman, Missouri Department of  Health and Senior Services (DHSS) Director Dr. Randall Williams, MO HealthNet Director Todd Richardson, and Missouri Department of Public Safety Director Sandy Karsten.

In an effort to conserve personal protective equipment amid the COVID-19 crisis, hospitals, health care providers, and first responder agencies will have the opportunity to utilize the Battelle Critical Care Decontamination System (CCDS) starting next week to safely decontaminate N95 masks for reuse.

Expanding PPE reserves is one of the four essential pillars of the state’s “Show Me Strong Recovery” plan.

“The PPE shortage has been a top concern in Missouri and nationwide as health care professionals and first responders respond to COVID-19,” Governor Parson said. “By helping conserve PPE, this system will be a huge asset to our overall recovery plan.”

A result of two decades of research and approved for use through the federal Food and Drug Administration, the system uses a process of vapor phase hydrogen peroxide to decontaminate the masks. Any one mask can be decontaminated using this process up to 20 times without impacting its integrity.

The Battelle CCDS is 100 percent federally funded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, allowing the mask decontamination to be provided at no cost to health care providers.

There will be up to 13 drop-off and pick-up sites located throughout the state for health care providers and first responders to drop off their N95 masks for decontamination. Each facility or organization will be responsible for correctly and safely packaging their contaminated masks and labeling them according to the directions supplied by Battelle.

The masks are then transported via a biohazard courier to the temporary site of the Battelle CCDS in Jefferson City. The masks are then returned to the original drop-off/pick-up site approximately 72 hours following drop-off.