Mask shortage during epidemics and pandemics: a scoping review of interventions to overcome limited supply

Objective To characterise published evidence regarding preclinical and clinical interventions to overcome mask shortages during epidemics and pandemics.Design Systematic scoping review.Settings All healthcare settings relevant to epidemics and pandemics.Search strategy English peer-reviewed studies...

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Main Authors: Matthew Yau, Abirami Kirubarajan, Shawn Khan, Tiffany Got, Jennifer M Bryan, Steven Marc Friedman
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2020-11-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/11/e040547.full
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author Matthew Yau
Abirami Kirubarajan
Shawn Khan
Tiffany Got
Jennifer M Bryan
Steven Marc Friedman
author_facet Matthew Yau
Abirami Kirubarajan
Shawn Khan
Tiffany Got
Jennifer M Bryan
Steven Marc Friedman
author_sort Matthew Yau
collection DOAJ
description Objective To characterise published evidence regarding preclinical and clinical interventions to overcome mask shortages during epidemics and pandemics.Design Systematic scoping review.Settings All healthcare settings relevant to epidemics and pandemics.Search strategy English peer-reviewed studies published from January 1995 to June 2020 were included. Literature was identified using four databases (Medline-OVID, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library), forwards-and-backwards searching through Scopus and an extensive grey literature search. Assessment of study eligibility, data extraction and evidence appraisal were performed in duplicate by two independent reviewers.Results Of the 11 220 database citations, a total of 47 articles were included. These studies encompassed six broad categories of conservation strategies: decontamination, reusability of disposable masks and/or extended wear, layering, reusable respirators, non-traditional replacements or modifications and stockpiled masks. Promising strategies for mask conservation in the context of pandemics and epidemics include use of stockpiled masks, extended wear of disposable masks and decontamination.Conclusion There are promising strategies for overcoming face mask shortages during epidemics and pandemics. Further research specific to practical considerations is required before implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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spelling doaj-art-7593554bb0d949de897a06417ee208212025-08-20T02:04:43ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552020-11-01101110.1136/bmjopen-2020-040547Mask shortage during epidemics and pandemics: a scoping review of interventions to overcome limited supplyMatthew Yau0Abirami Kirubarajan1Shawn Khan2Tiffany Got3Jennifer M Bryan4Steven Marc Friedman5Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaInstitute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada3Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada, University of Toronto, Toronto, CanadaFaculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaDivision of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaDepartment of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaObjective To characterise published evidence regarding preclinical and clinical interventions to overcome mask shortages during epidemics and pandemics.Design Systematic scoping review.Settings All healthcare settings relevant to epidemics and pandemics.Search strategy English peer-reviewed studies published from January 1995 to June 2020 were included. Literature was identified using four databases (Medline-OVID, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library), forwards-and-backwards searching through Scopus and an extensive grey literature search. Assessment of study eligibility, data extraction and evidence appraisal were performed in duplicate by two independent reviewers.Results Of the 11 220 database citations, a total of 47 articles were included. These studies encompassed six broad categories of conservation strategies: decontamination, reusability of disposable masks and/or extended wear, layering, reusable respirators, non-traditional replacements or modifications and stockpiled masks. Promising strategies for mask conservation in the context of pandemics and epidemics include use of stockpiled masks, extended wear of disposable masks and decontamination.Conclusion There are promising strategies for overcoming face mask shortages during epidemics and pandemics. Further research specific to practical considerations is required before implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/11/e040547.full
spellingShingle Matthew Yau
Abirami Kirubarajan
Shawn Khan
Tiffany Got
Jennifer M Bryan
Steven Marc Friedman
Mask shortage during epidemics and pandemics: a scoping review of interventions to overcome limited supply
BMJ Open
title Mask shortage during epidemics and pandemics: a scoping review of interventions to overcome limited supply
title_full Mask shortage during epidemics and pandemics: a scoping review of interventions to overcome limited supply
title_fullStr Mask shortage during epidemics and pandemics: a scoping review of interventions to overcome limited supply
title_full_unstemmed Mask shortage during epidemics and pandemics: a scoping review of interventions to overcome limited supply
title_short Mask shortage during epidemics and pandemics: a scoping review of interventions to overcome limited supply
title_sort mask shortage during epidemics and pandemics a scoping review of interventions to overcome limited supply
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/11/e040547.full
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