Coronavirus outbreak: N95 mask inventor abandons retirement to aid in pandemic

Peter Tsai, who invented the N95 mask 30 years ago, came out of retirement recently and joined research efforts as his invention has now become one of the most sought after pieces of protective gear for frontline medical workers. In some hospitals, supply is so low that some have reportedly resorted to using soapy water, alcohol or bleach to sterilize their gear but experts warn that those decontamination methods are not effective and could, in fact, damage the mask. Tsai said he is currently looking at whether exposing the masks to high temperatures for a specific period of time could work.

• Nova Scotia chemists work with mill to create medical-grade pulp for N95 masks