MSA Safety launched its next-generation Advantage 290 LS Air-Purifying Respirator (APR) designed without an exhalation valve and approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The Advantage 290 LS Respirator covers a wearer’s nose and mouth and utilizes twin filters to provide respiratory protection.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that NIOSH-approved respirators, including elastomeric half-mask respirators (EHMRs), are appropriate for use against SARS-CoV-2 in healthcare settings. This established class of respirator can play a critical role in the nation’s response to COVID-19 and, importantly, bolster future readiness for similar microbial viruses and other emergencies.
In response to the global shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE), MSA has been working throughout the year with healthcare professionals to identify the respiratory protection needs of those on the front line of the pandemic. Some applications within healthcare require a sterile environment, and one critical component to ensuring a sterile environment is source control. The Advantage 290 Respirator provides both personal protection and source control.
Greg Martin, Vice President of Product Strategy and Development, MSA said: “Given the reusable design and nature of elastomeric respirators, there are many benefits of deploying a respiratory protection program that incorporates EHMRs, including cost-efficiency, reduced space requirements for PPE warehousing, and fewer concerns associated with PPE insecurities during a pandemic”.
Martin added: “EHMRs also help mitigate concerns about product expiration while conferring additional benefits, like environmental sustainability, through extended use and reuse capability. With the Advantage 290 model, our team went a step further and developed a respirator that has the potential to be an even more appealing option – today and down the road – for healthcare systems everywhere as they assess plans for the future and their own pandemic preparedness”.
