N95 Masks and Nitrile Exam Gloves are vital materials for ensuring the safety of healthcare personnel, first responders, and the general public. We are seeing an increase in the use of these essential supplies here in the United States and abroad. What are the trends and availability for Nitrile Exam Gloves and NIOSH Certified N95 Masks in the future? Will there be adequate supply in the future? Or will we continue to see shortage, hoarding of supplies, and price spikes?
What are the trends here in the US?
The trend towards increased use of Nitrile Exam Gloves and N95 Masks is happening here in the US. This is likely due to the increasing awareness of the dangers of exposure to infectious diseases. And with the rise of incidents like the SarsCov2, the ever evolving new variants, and other pathogens it’s no wonder that in addition to our healthcare workers the general public are looking for ways to protect themselves.
But will this trend continue?
Experts believe that the awareness that Covid-19 has created about respiratory protection and surface disinfection has created a new
trend towards personal protection. Prior to the pandemic, the NIOSH certified N95 Mask was always available and never in short supply. The global demand is currently being addressed and despite the supply chain traffic of container ships on our coastline, we are able to get these essential supplies to hospitals and those who need them. The prices have come back down to reasonable levels. When considering which N95 Mask to purchase it is always important that every individual is fit tested to ensure that they have a mask that fits properly without leakage. Hospitals have been doing fit testing for all their employees, thousands of them, and it is very time consuming. If there is a disruption in the supply chain and the hospital can’t access the specific types of masks that have been fitted to their employees they typically look for alternate sources to find these essential supplies. The NIOSH certified N95 mask has become one of the most important pieces of protective equipment for healthcare workers filtering out at least 95% of all particles, including those as small as 0.03 microns in size.
Nitrile Exam Gloves are the standard of care in hospitals and have been for decades. There are many manufacturers of FDA approved Nitrile Exam Grade gloves for hospitals but most of them are in South East Asia. Countries like Malaysia have access to the raw materials required to make Nitrile gloves and also have existing factories that produce tens of millions of gloves per month. Due to the high labor cost here in the us, high cost of setting up production facilities, and need to import the raw materials, we can expect to see global production of Nitrile Exam gloves remain offshore for some time.
N95 Masks and Nitrile Exam Gloves Testing
There are a number of different levels of tests that are performed on Exam Gloves to determine their resistance to breakage, leaks, puncture, and chemical resistance. Gloves often chosen for their strength, durability, and tactile sensitivity. Nitrile Exam Grade gloves also offer good protection against a variety of chemicals, including Chemotherapy Drugs and Fentanyl Citrate, when tested appropriately. The box for any product tested against Chemo Drugs should list the drugs that have been tested and the resistance time.
It’s important to keep in mind that not all Nitrile Exam Gloves and N95 Mask are created equal. Make sure to do your research before purchasing these items to find the ones that are right for you.
Makrite N95 Masks are a great choice to protect you from hazardous particles. With an efficiency of 95% or more against non-oil based particles, the Makrite catalog of NIOSH Certified masks provides a wide variety of shapes and styles to fit any facial morphology.
These are essential items for frontline caregivers and first responders everywhere. SPH Medical is a trusted source and a global distributor for Makrite Industries and a direct importer with a documented chain of custody for all masks direct from the factory.
The future of N95 mask technology is evolving with direct customer feedback channeled to the Research and Development team at Makrite. New mask styles for comfort, fit, and performance are in development and final approval stages. We can expect to see several new mask styles released this year added to an already impressive catalog of disposable respirators that serve the entire globe.
Nitrile Exam Gloves and N95 Masks are two essential supplies that are now more essential than ever as the market for these products has expended to literally everyone in the world.
The Future of N95 Masks
- The new designs will offer a variety of fit options
- They are also more comfortable to wear for long periods of time
- There are more surgical N95 mask options that offer documented fluid resistance
The future of N95 Mask technology and performance is being redefined by Makrite and SPH Medical.
SPH Medical has over 10 years of experience in supplying healthcare safety products, and is are committed to meeting the needs of our customers. As a strategic sourcing supplier for health systems across all 50 states, hospitals contact SPH Medical when they need essential supplies urgently or on a consistent monthly basis.
SPH Medical provides reliable and secure access to the latest products and technology available to protect our caregivers.
