Some 166.5 million COVID-19 prevention respirator masks will be shipped to the U.S. over a span of three months following an agreement between President Trump and the CEO of 3M that was announced on Monday, according to a press release.
Under terms of the Trump-3M agreement, the 166.5 million masks that will be imported from a 3M facility in China is in addition to the 35 million 3M produces domestically each month.
According to the CDC, the number of people who have died in the U.S. of COVID-19 as of April 8 is 3,307. However, the CDC notes that death counts are delayed and may differ from other published sources. Johns Hopkins University, for instance, currently reports more than 14,000 deaths.
Another site that reports infection and deaths worldwide, Worldometer, reports slightly higher death figures in the U.S. It also shows the number of new cases in the U.S. has leveled in the past four days.
3M chairman and CEO Mike Rowan stated in the press release that his company is working "around the clock."
“Given the reality that demand for respirators outpaces supply, we are working around the clock to further expand our capacity while prioritizing and redirecting our supplies to serve the most critical areas,” he stated.
But while the Trump administration removed export restrictions to enable mass importation of the vital protective gear for healthcare workers, an infectious prevention expert sees a dangerous side effect of the influx.
“How are we going to deal with the pollution and waste that so many masks create,” said Dr. Shanina C. Knighton, an RN and Case Western Reserve University professor.
“Masks become biohazardous after they are worn even once,” Knighton said. “I don’t know where all those used masks are going to go.”
American hospitals produce 5.9 million tons of medical waste annually, according to BioMedical Waste Solutions, which then need to be properly disposed of to prevent disease. “I am hoping the social distancing and sheltering in place will offset all of the trash we are creating with our masks and that need to be disposed of in a way that prevents COVID-19 from spreading,” Knighton told Legal Newsline. Knighton offers five tips for how to reduce the risk of infection that masks pose.
- Buy packaged masks. Not masks that are sold individual on the street, for example. “It may already be contaminated,” Knighton said.
- Only use a mask once. “The biggest issue we are having right now is having to reuse masks because there’s a shortage,” she said. “Masks were not meant for extended use.”
- Wear masks with a built-in ventilator at your own risk. “Masks with ventilator are used for breathing but we don’t know how effective they are in protecting against particles someone around you sneezes or coughs,” said Knighton. “They haven’t been tested.”
- Remove the mask by its straps and place it deep in the garbage. “Make sure it’s not at the top of the trash bag where it could fall out because COVID-19 lives on plastic and could infect someone who touches it without gloves,” she said.
- Create your own re-usable, washable mask with fabric. “Use cotton cloth from an old t-shirt,” said Knighton. “Stay away from waterproof material and nylons.”