Wash “used” masks?

Q “Heard on the news that hospitals are running out of KN95 masks, but I saw a Stanford study saying they can be washed, would that be a solution to the shortage?” asks Pierre Chartrand, from Montreal.

A The latest news is that there is currently no shortage of KN95 masks in Quebec, but authorities are preparing for this eventuality, as they are everywhere in the world.

The N95 mask is used to protect healthcare professionals from contact with pathogens in aerosols produced by individuals infected with viruses or bacteria. It is made of polypropylene. It generates static electricity that allows it to trap very small particles, up to 0.3 micrometers in diameter. A respirator mask is called KN95 when it meets the standard set by the American National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). To be approved, it must be able to filter at least 95% of particles in the air free of oil (hence N) when tested with particles 0.3 micrometers in diameter. It needs to fit very tightly to the face and is not effective if the person has a beard.

The mask should be replaced at most every eight hours, or when leaving a high risk area, or when it becomes too inconvenient for breathing. According to NIOSH, there is no way to determine whether a mask is still effective or not, and many parameters can influence how quickly it might lose effectiveness: ambient contamination, temperature and humidity, the fact that the person wearing it touches the mask more or less with more or less contaminated hands or gloves, etc.

As part of its pandemic preparedness work, NIOSH issued a comprehensive advice on best practices for saving masks, which many people now use as a benchmark. The American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also propose a strategy to adopt in the current context.

The study you are talking about is actually a real-time knowledge assessment carried out by medical researchers at Stanford University to help anesthesiologists in their decision-making in the context of COVID-19. The version I checked out is from March 25, but it's worth checking for updates. Their first advice to caregivers: follow the guidelines of their hospital.

An effective washing method for masks must both destroy the virus on the mask, be non-toxic to the wearer of the cleaned mask, and not damage the mask's ability to filter particles.

Stanford researchers report in a table the tests carried out recently by the company 4C Air with different techniques. Spending the mask for 30 minutes in hot air at 70 degrees, or 10 minutes in boiling water vapor appears to be effective in clearing the virus, and preserving the mask's ability to filter air. Disinfection with chlorine or alcohol, on the other hand, has greatly reduced the effectiveness of the masks, and researchers tell anesthetists not to do it.

They also report the results of a study published in 2009 on five methods of decontaminating N95 masks - proof that the subject has been in the air, so to speak, for quite some time. The researchers then tested in particular the decontamination by treatments with microwaves, chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, UV and ethylene oxide, but without evaluating the residual viral load.

This is all subject to change, however, as two studies do not constitute very strong evidence.

Last Friday, the Journal of the American Medical Association appealed to the scientific community to quickly carry out new studies on this subject and scientific publications are likely to multiply rapidly, because the stakes are high.

In summary, therefore, yes, there are probably effective methods to reuse masks, only, as of today, we do not yet have the reliable data that would allow us to identify the best technique, but that s 'comes.

OUR ADVICE FOR CHOOSING YOUR WINE GLASS (2020 GUIDE)

Difficult to decide when buying your wine glasses as the offer is wide and varied. Which glass to choose for which type of wine? What form of glass should you choose? What glass to fully appreciate the tasting? So many questions that require a simple answer, without going through four paths. Glass plays a decisive role during tasting, and we will see why. This article will give you the essential advice for choosing the right tasting glass, step by step.

THE IMPORTANCE OF GLASS DURING A TASTING:

Wine lovers will tell you! A suitable glass will provide an enriched wine experience. Advice on choosing a wine glass is therefore welcome.

The tasting glass is a stemmed glass, which keeps the wine at a good temperature.

Note: you should always hold your wine glass by the foot (leg), not by the base. This then avoids the hot water effect which can heat the wine. During a tasting, the temperature of the wine is very important. Do not hesitate to do a short search on Google to determine the ideal temperature for the wine you want to taste.

Are you organizing an evening with friends? Are you a wine lover? A fun game is to taste the same wine in different types of glasses.

The wine will then be expressed differently depending on the structure of the latter; if you are used to the exercise of tasting, you will feel these nuances and determine preferences. Again, this proves the importance of choosing the right wine glass.

Remember the glass lexicon, these terms will be important for the rest of our article:

THE OENOLOGICAL EXPERIENCE GOES THROUGH THE VIEW, OPT FOR A CRYSTAL GLASS:

The first thing you see in a person is how they look. This will give you information about the person. It's the same with wine.

Yes, we taste (also) with our eyes. Tableware is part of this pleasure. And it's not just a scientifically proven figure of speech. Humans subjectively perceive and perceive what they see.

Is your glass clean? How transparent is it? What is its shape? These questions are the brevaries of a successful tasting.

A beautiful crystal glass, bright, fine, slender and elegant, will set the tone for the tasting. The first and felt contact with the wine depends on the quality of the glass.

With an expert eye, admire the color of the wine, its appearance (its clarity as well as its brilliance). You can even determine the dominant grape variety there.

A fun little test with friends is to have the same type of wine tasted in a beautiful tasting glass, and the other in a simple bistro wine glass. The verdict will be final.

Advice for choosing a wine glass: avoid tasting glasses with cut patterns, this reduces the pleasure of admiring the wine's robe.

Be careful to clean your glasses well before use. About this topic, find out how to clean the crystal effectively by clicking here!

THE OENOLOGICAL EXPERIENCE GOES THROUGH SMELL:

Once the visual analysis is done, it’s the smell's turn to take action.

Aromas are volatile molecules. To perceive these aromas as well as possible, it is necessary to favor this volatile nature, this is why young wines are decanted (discover our TOP 5 decanting decanters).

On contact with oxygen, the wine will then release its aromas. This is called oxygenation.

It's the same principle that applies to Shark Wine Glass. The glass aims to promote this character of diffusion, up to your nose.

This is how glassware, often under the guidance of wine experts, develops glasses with the optimal "shoulder diameter / drinker diameter" ratio. This is the case for the Austrian glassworks Zalto.

Baccarat has also collaborated with Jean-Charles Boisset, a figure in the French wine landscape, but also foreign.

Today owner of 800 hectares in the heart of the most prestigious terroirs, from Burgundy to the south of France, from Napa Valley to Sonoma in California, Jean-Charles Boisset has brought all his expertise and know-how for the realization of the JCB Passion service, consisting of a wine carafe, a champagne carafe, a wine glass and a champagne glass.