Healthcare Provider N95 Respirator Contamination Worn Behind Face Shields With SARS-CoV-2 During Routine Clinical Care of Patients With COVID-19

Abstract

N95 respirator contamination with SARS-CoV-2 during clinical care of patients with COVID-19 is poorly understood. We performed a prospective observational study on healthcare provider’s (HCP) N95 respirators and face shields SARS-CoV-2 contamination during aerosol generating procedures (AGP) on SARS-CoV-2 positive patients housed in a COVID-19 specific unit. Medical masks worn on top of HCP’s N95 respirators, and under face shields, during study AGPs were used as surrogates to detect contamination to avoid waste. Thirty-three HCPs were studied, and a total of 33 mask and 27 face shields were sampled. Masks were cut into nine pieces and face shields were sampled twice, front and back, to determine locality of contamination; however, no positive samples were identified using standard PCR techniques with CT up to 40. All nine mask piece samples were then pooled, as well as face shield samples, using centrifugal concentration with Polyethersulfone membranes. Once pooled and concentrated, overall, 9 (15%) samples were positive via RT-PCR; 5 from masks (15.2%) and 4 from face shields (14.8%).