COVID-19 RAPID RESPONSE: BIO-AEROSOLS IN AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PROCESSING

A major goal of this project is to develop low cost Filter-Hat personal protective equipment (PPE) that provides COVID-19 Bio-Aerosol protection, impact head protection, pollen and other hazardous or irritant aerosol protection for a persons entire head including a persons eyes and respiratory system. The first objective (1) is to prepare prototypes of the Filter-Hat for testing that have low cost battery powered submicron air filtration systems integrated into a comfortable hard hat with an aerosol proof visor and filter drop cloth to protect the filter hat users entire head space. The second objective (2) is to exceed COVID-19 personal protection of N95, N99, and N100 disposable respirators even if they are combined with a visor or goggles. It is a third objective (3) of this project to test aerosol exit protection of people near the Filter-Hat user in case the user is infected with COVID-19. This objective includes exceeding N type respirators with or without exhale valves that have significant face leakage of bio-aerosols and/or exhale valve release of bio-aerosols. This highly effective Filter-Hat will protect the food processing worker from catching or spreading COVID-19 at work and indirectly protect the community they live in. This Filter-Hat may also be used to protect the farmer that is often exposed to pollen allergens, pesticide aerosols, herbicide aerosols, blowing dirt silica dust, and manure bio-aerosols that could be filtered out with our proposed Filter-Hat. A forth objective (4) is to encourage widespread use of the Filter-Hat in these areas by having savings from frequently disposed respirator masks (N95 masks, etc.) alone pay for the Filter-Hat with a long filter life and low cost Filter-Hat production.