• The supply of NIOSH-approved N95 respirators has increased significantly.
• Healthcare facilities should no longer be using crisis capacity strategies and should resume conventional practices. Crisis capacity strategies had been used to address respirator shortages during the COVID-19 outbreak, but now there is improved domestic supply. This means:
• Respirators should not be re-used.
• Facilities should stop purchasing non-NIOSH-approved respirators (including KN95s) for use as respiratory protection.
• When a respirator is needed, such as when caring for COVID-positive patients/residents or those in quarantine, healthcare facilities should only use NIOSH-approved N95 Respirators.
• Non-NIOSH-approved respirators that have already been purchased may be used for source control.
• Respirators that were previously used and decontaminated should not be stored for future use.
• NIOSH-approved respirators can be found here: NIOSH-Approved N95 Respirators.

• Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of N95 Respirators
• Summary for Healthcare Facilities: Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of N95 Respirators during Shortages
• Implementing Filtering Facepiece Respirator (FFR) Reuse, Including Reuse after Decontamination, When There Are Known Shortages of N95 Respirators
• Factors to Consider When Planning to Purchase Respirators from Another Country

• Current trends in staff vaccination.
• Vaccine availability and support opportunities.
• Current challenges with vaccination in LTC staff.
• Success stories in increasing staff vaccination rates.
• Upcoming efforts to promote vaccination.