The FDA yesterday further relaxed regulations on medical and surgical masks and face shields to ease shortages during the coronavirus pandemic, and invited companies that decontaminate masks to submit proposals for emergency authorizations.
In a new guidance, the agency also gave its blessing to healthcare providers to use improvised masks during the public health emergency when FDA-cleared masks are unavailable. It invited more non-medical product manufacturers to join the effort to produce face masks and respirators, and said it would no longer block the import of KN95 respirators from China for healthcare workers to use.