AUTHOR=Munro Alasdair , Prieto Jacqui , Mentzakis Emmanouil , Dibas Mohammed , Mahobia Nitin , Baker Peter , Herbert Sarah , Smith Trevor , Hine Matthew , Hall Joann , McClarren Angie , Davidson Mike , Brooks Julie , Fisher Jane , Griffiths David , Morgan Hywel , Giulietti Corrado , Faust Saul N. , Elkington Paul 

TITLE=Powered Respirators Are Effective, Sustainable, and Cost-Effective Personal Protective Equipment for SARS-CoV-2

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Medical Technology

VOLUME=3

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medical-technology/articles/10.3389/fmedt.2021.729658

DOI=10.3389/fmedt.2021.729658

ISSN=2673-3129

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Objectives:</bold> The provision of high-quality personal protective equipment (PPE) has been a critical challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic. We evaluated an alternative strategy, mass deployment of a powered air-purifying respirator (PeRSo), in a large university hospital.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> We performed prospective user feedback <italic>via</italic> questionnaires sent to healthcare workers (HCWs) issued PeRSos, economic analysis, and evaluated the real-world impact.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Where paired responses were available, PeRSo was preferred over droplet precautions for comfort, patient response, overall experience, and subjective feeling of safety. For all responses, more participants reported the overall experience being rated “Very good” more frequently for PeRSo. The primary limitation identified was impairment of hearing. Economic simulation exercises revealed that the adoption of PeRSo within ICU is associated with net cost savings in the majority of scenarios and savings increased progressively with greater ITU occupancy. In evaluation during the second UK wave, over 3,600 respirators were deployed, all requested by staff, which were associated with a low staff absence relative to most comparator hospitals.</p><p><bold>Conclusions:</bold> Health services should consider a widespread implementation of powered reusable respirators as a safe and sustainable solution for the protection of HCWs as SARS-CoV-2 becomes an endemic viral illness.</p>