Respirators - Swine Flu Info

Interim Guidance for Swine influenza A (H1N1

Interim Guidance for Swine influenza A (H1N1)
Using Facemasks or Respirators
  • Wear an N95 respirator if you help a sick person with respiratory treatments using a nebulizer or inhaler, as directed by their doctor. Respiratory treatments should be performed in a separate room away from common areas of the house when at all possible.
  • Used facemasks and N95 respirators should be taken off and placed immediately in the regular trash so they don't touch anything else.
  • Avoid close contact (less than about 6 feet away) with the sick person as much as possible.
  • If you must have close contact with the sick person (for example, hold a sick infant), spend the least amount of time possible in close contact and try to wear a facemask (for example, surgical mask) or N95 disposable respirator.
  • An N95 respirator that fits snugly on your face can filter out small particles that can be inhaled around the edges of a facemask, but compared with a facemask it is harder to breathe through an N95 mask for long periods of time.
  • Avoid re-using disposable facemasks and N95 respirators if possible. If a reusable fabric facemask is used, it should be laundered with normal laundry detergent and tumble-dried in a hot dryer.
  • After you take off a facemask or N95 respirator, clean your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

 

Source: www.cdc.gov