Coronavirus In Pittsburgh: AHN To Equip Caregivers With Industrial Grade Protective Masks
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Allegheny Health Network has partnered with MSA Safety in an effort to provide their frontline caregivers with the personal protective equipment they need.
The partnership will provide their workers with P100 industrial-grade respirators that are able to be disinfected and used repeatedly.
These respirators are not typically used in healthcare settings but due to the coronavirus pandemic causing a shortage of disposable masks, AHN had been looking for a creative way to get their workers the protective equipment necessary to fight the coronavirus outbreak.
"When it comes to the personal protective equipment that keeps caregivers safe, our goal is for AHN to be as self-sustaining as possible while not compromising the safety of our caregivers and patients," said Sri Chalikonda, MD, AHN's Chief Medical Operations Officer. "We want our clinical teams to be 100-percent focused on the care of our patients with full confidence that they have the PPE they need to do their jobs at this critical time."
The respirators from MSA filter out nearly 100% of airborne particulates.
AHN employees began using the respirators this week and they are being disinfected between used by AHN's sterilization technicians.
Employees working in the ICU, emergency department, and with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases will be wearing the respirators.
"MSA recognizes that fighting the spread of COVID-19 requires an all-hands-on-deck approach," said Steve Blanco, President of MSA's Americas business segment. "We are pleased to be working alongside AHN and other leading health care providers to explore and deliver PPE solutions that are helping communities better respond to this unprecedented challenge."
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