Ohio relaxes flu face mask guidance

Updated: Friday, 06 Nov 2009, 6:13 PM EST
Published : Friday, 06 Nov 2009, 5:47 PM EST

CLEVELAND (AP) - State health officials have agreed to ease their recommendation that health care workers wear snug-fitting respirator masks when dealing with swine flu.

Reversing an earlier decision, the Ohio Department of Health now says it's OK for physicians and others treating swine flu patients to use simple surgical masks.

The state's hospitals had asked for the change because of a shortage of the so-called N95 respirator masks, which form a tighter seal around the nose and mouth than surgical masks. The Ohio Hospital Association also argued that the N95 masks were unnecessary because of a lack of evidence that flu is transmitted through the air.

Federal guidelines continue to support the use of N95 masks against swine flu.

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