N95 Respirator Fit Testing Experience during the Pandemic at a Singapore Tertiary Health Institution: Streamlining Workflow and Improving Respirator Fit Rate

Abstract

The N95 respirator is imperative for Healthcare Professionals (HCPs) when caring for patients with potentially airborne infectious diseases such as COVID-19. During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, HCPs were anxious and unsure if their N95 respirator still fits well. In addition, as a result of the sharp increase in demand and consequent supply disruptions for some N95 respirator models, alternative respirator models were sourced and brought in at different intervals. The Infection Prevention & Control Department (IPCD) had to react to the situation by conducting impromptu mass fit testing sessions for affected HCPs. Quick turnaround strategy using online pre-registration for respirator fitting had helped to make the N95 respirator fit test procedure more seamless. The introduction of quantitative fit testing had also enhanced the success rate of fitting, with the majority of HCPs previously could not be successfully fitted with a N95 respirator, being now successfully fitted.