Michigan State using oven to decontaminate masks

Michigan State University is using a commercial oven to re-sterilize N95 masks.Dr. Norman J. Beauchamp Jr., the East Lansing school's executive vice president for health sciences, says the method will allow the reuse of the masks at a time of shortages at hospitals where workers are fighting the coronavirus.

"Some are already at this point where they're reusing the masks in ways that aren't ultimately going to be safe. So, the key is there's not enough. And this is a way to reliably make sure that the supply is maintained," Beauchamp said Friday.According to Beauchamp, work decontaminating masks from local health-care providers began last week at the school's Food Processing and Innovation Center.

Staff members retooled equipment to heat the masks so it kills viruses and bacteria. The masks then are sealed in individual bags and left to further decontaminate for three days before being returned. A test run confirmed the process was successful before any masks were given to health care workers.

"The early data on it says you can do it 20 times, perhaps more, but we're going to start with that. But each time we're going to test it to make sure that in no way have we compromised the integrity of these masks," Beauchamp said.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. Older adults and people with existing health problems are among those particularly susceptible to more severe illness, including pneumonia.

(Image Credit: AP)