Please see the following updates from Dr. Chris Hall regarding masks and fit testing.
- All medical staff should have been fit tested for an N95 mask, know their mask size and reported both here. If medical staff who perform aerosol generating procedures have NOT been fit tested, they should contact their medical leader/department head to rectify.
- Medical staff fit tested to reusable “elastomeric’ (rubber mask-style) respirators should consider those masks to be their alternate mask of choice if the style of N95 mask they fit is unavailable, or vice versa. Once the reprocessing processes of elastomeric masks are finalized, medical staff who have been fit tested to these masks will not be refit tested for paper product N95 masks, regardless of sizing.
- Refit testing for medical staff who wear 3M 1860 small masks is now suspended. Medical staff who wear this mask and have not been refit tested for another model are not at a disadvantage and refit testing is not necessary.
- As supplies change, relevant medical leadership will be contacted when medical staff in their clinical area/program require refit testing. Not all refit testing will apply to all clinical areas. Please do not request to be refit tested if your clinical area has not been specifically contacted.
- Medical staff who are not credentialed and privileged within Island Health are not candidates for Island Health based fit testing, with few exceptions.
- Please remember that N95 masks are only required for aerosol generating medical procedures and are not indicated for routine patient encounters.
- We appreciate your patience as we constantly revise PPE requirements based on available supplies and scientific evidence.
- Questions/concerns can be directed to the medical leader for your program area.