Current PPE items in use at Yale New Haven Health and Yale Medicine
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Yale New Haven Health has remained dedicated to maintaining a safe workplace for staff and a safe care environment for patients.
The health system’s efforts to reduce the risk of virus transmission include screening, testing, social distancing and different types of personal protective equipment (PPE). With a worldwide demand for PPE, YNHHS has used different types and brands to ensure PPE is available for staff. As a high reliability organization, YNHHS thoroughly researches, tests and pilots PPE products to ensure each item is effective and appropriate before approving it for use.
Some of the PPE items now in use at YNHHS are:
Respirators and facemasks:
- Face mask – Protects the wearer – including patients and care providers – against large respiratory droplets.
- Surgical mask – A facemask that has been certified for fluid and resistance. These should be reserved for operating rooms and procedural areas only.
- Respirator – Reduces wearer’s exposure to virus and other particles, including small particle aerosols and large droplets.
- FFR – Filtering facepiece respirators – a general term that includes N95s and KN95s.
- N95 – Respiratory protective device designed for a very close facial fit and very efficient filtration of airborne particles. The respirator edges form a seal around the nose and mouth. KN95s provide equivalent filtration to N95s.
- Elastomeric respirator – Half face piece or full face piece, tight-fitting respirators made of synthetic or natural rubber material. These can be repeatedly used, cleaned, disinfected, stored and re-used. They are alternatives to disposable half mask filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs), such as N95 FFRs, and augment the total supply of respirators available.
- PAPR – An air-purifying respirator that uses a blower to force ambient air through air-purifying elements to the inlet covering.
- Typical N95s – 3M 1870, 3M 1860, 3M 1860S, Moldex XS and the equivalents of each model.
- Other N95s being distributed – Makrite 9500, 3M 8000 and many other varieties.
Visit the YNHHS COVID-19 site for photos and descriptions of these products. The site is updated regularly.
