Researchers at Yale say they've perfected a technique that may allow doctors and nurses to recycle personal protective equipment.

Doctors at Yale Medicine say for personal protection against COVID-19, nothing has been as sought after as the N95 respirator mask.

"The respirator is designed to filter the air that the wearer is breathing, but a surgical mask really isn't meant to do that. It's meant to protect from splashes," says Dr. Patrick Kenney.

Kenney says Yale researchers are testing a method that might let N95 masks be disinfected and reused safely. He says the tests so far have found that "about 80% of masks are still good for reprocessing."

The tests have been done using sanitizing equipment the hospital already has available. Over the last few weeks, researchers say they have found that misting kills coronaviruses similar to COVID-19.

A donation of 10,000 more N95 masks arrived at Yale Hospital Thursday, courtesy of Chinese company AMT.

Kenney says recycling masks won't replace the donation efforts, but when supplies run low, it could get health care workers out of a tight spot.

"This is not a panacea, it's not gonna solve everything. But it's an important component of our plan," he says.

Doctors say the reprocessed N95 masks will be back in circulation at Yale New Haven Health as soon as Friday.