Stony Brook gets new PPE sanitizing system

Stony Brook University and its hospital complex have received a system to clean and decontaminate personal protective equipment for doctors and nurses who treat COVID-19 patients.

The Critical Care Decontamination System from science and technology nonprofit Battelle Memorial Institute arrived at SBU on Sunday, March 29 and is expected to be in use this week. 

The CCDS from the Columbus, Ohio-based nonprofit is designed to decontaminate up to 80,000 used N95 masks per day, according to the company’s website.

Personal accounts from medical professionals have detailed doctors wearing improvised gear and reusing contaminated masks amidst a nationwide shortage of PPE, spurring a demand that is difficult to meet as nations deal with the COVID-19 outbreak globally.

The decontamination system is located in Building 17 of SBU’s Research and Development Park.