Authors’ Comment

Regulatory and Safety Considerations in Deploying a Locally Fabricated, Reusable Face Shield in a Hospital Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…We produced a full-length visor but increased the width from 230 mm to 305 mm so as to maximize facial protection without obstructing hearing or impeding a user's range of motion. 9,16 The face shield was designed for reuse by a single individual following cleaning and disinfection procedures recommended by the CDC for reprocessing protective eyewear; this involves use of US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered sanitizing wipes (Super Sani cloth, EPA registration number 9480-4; Figures 1A and 1B) or 70% isopropanol. We also tested a more-sophisticated form of sterilization that used ionized hydrogen peroxide (iHP).…”

“…Face shields are used in hospitals for infection control 9 and are also required PPE in many research and industrial settings. A face shield is a type of PPE in which a transparent, impact-and moisture-resistant visor (commonly made of plastic) is mounted on a frame that encircles the head and positions the visor in front of a user's face.…”