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COVID-19: Awakening our best response

Thank you for visiting our COVID-19 info page. We trust you are well, and keeping a healthy and positive mindset. As a community, we all need to be proactive and make efforts to keep each other safe during this time.

All open stores will have strict hygiene and social distancing procedures in place. Due to new government regulations, if you are visiting a NSW or VIC store we please ask that you wear a face mask whilst in the store. You will also be required to complete contact tracing information in all stores, according to local government requirements. If your store is closed or you’re unable to visit ones that are open, we encourage you to use the virtual services we’re continuing to provide, including:
  • Video or phone consultations you can book online
  • An online store that's open 24/7 for your convenience
  • Free delivery for all online orders, plus Click and Collect at selected stores
  • Expert support and friendly advice via our Consumer Care Centre.

We’ll continue to keep you updated through emails, on our social media platforms and with regular information below. Should you need any support, please contact us.

In the meantime, please sleep well and continue with your therapy. Looking after your sleep and health is perhaps the best thing you can do to boost your immunity.

1800 737 633 (ResMed)

Monday to Thursday, 8AM to 8PM
Friday, 8AM to 6PM
Saturday, 9AM - 5PM

info@resmed.com.au

Message from our CEO Mick Farrell

mick farrell

As a global leader in respiratory medicine, ResMed stands with the world in the face of the latest coronavirus disease COVID-19 and is ready to help mitigate its effects, helping people breathe while their immune system fights this virus. More than 7,500 ResMedians are working in over 140 countries for this purpose. We are working with governments, health authorities, hospitals, physicians, and patients worldwide to assess their needs, and to deliver the ventilation therapy that is essential to treat the respiratory complications of COVID-19. Our primary focus is to maximise the availability of ResMed ventilators and other respiratory support devices for the patients that need them most.

As global leaders in digital health, we're proud that many of our ventilators and bilevel respiratory devices are cloud-connected, enabling physicians and respiratory specialists to remotely monitor their patients. There could not be a clearer case for the use of digital health and remote monitoring of patients than this current crisis with a virus that is so contagious stemming from direct human contact.

I'm grateful to our global team for working through today's challenges to help treat an increasing number of COVID-19 patients. I'd like to call out first-responder ResMedians in China's Hubei province, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, in particular one ResMed hero who, since early January, has donned a positive pressure hazmat suit, and helped set up thousands of people on ResMed ventilators and ResMed masks. There are also 100-plus ResMedians from Malaysia who in mid-March volunteered to keep working in our Singapore manufacturing plant when Malaysia closed its borders, relocating to live near our plant in Singapore, spending weeks away from their families, so they can continue to produce as many lifesaving ventilators and ventilation masks as possible.

ResMed is taking every measure possible worldwide to maximise the production of ventilators, masks, and other respiratory devices. We are looking to double or triple the output of ventilators, and scale up ventilation mask production more than tenfold. Our team is also taking precautions such as a work-from-home policy for all employees who can do that, social distancing, and ensuring world-class quality, safety, good manufacturing practices, and top-level hygiene procedures at our manufacturing, service, and distribution centres to help ensure quality, safety, and business continuity.

Below you'll find answers to frequently asked questions about ResMed products and links to leading advice from experts on health and safety. This information is changing rapidly; we encourage you to check back regularly for updates.

I urge all of us to do our part to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus, whether that is self-quarantining, working from home, sheltering in place, or just staying health for our families, particularly the elderly and those with compromised immune systems.

Let me close with this: I would like to personally thank the front-line clinical heroes - many thousands of respiratory therapists, respiratory nurses, pulmonary and critical care medicine physicians, as well as hospital and clinical staff who set up our ventilators and masks for patients in need and deliver the lifesaving gift of breath...You are the superheroes of this COVID-19 crisis, and we salute you!

Best, 
Mick



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For your safety

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, respiratory or otherwise, please call 000 or your doctor immediately. Be sure to tell them of any exposure you may have had to COVID-19.

To reduce your risk of contracting and/or spreading COVID-19, please follow these published guidelines for:

Mask and device cleaning

Tuesday, March 31

We've received lots of questions from CPAP users asking us how they should clean their therapy equipment. Firstly, let us stress how much your immunity depends on healthy sleep, so well done on staying on therapy.

One thing you should do now is to not only clean your mask before every use but also your hands every time you take it on or off.

FAQs - Retail

Are your retail stores open?

Selected stores are now open for 15 minutes in-person appointments and Click & Collect. We will continue to provide remote support online and over the phone.

Please note that appointments are capped at 15 minutes, and devices are not able to be switched on as part of our COVID hygiene practices.

How can I receive support or speak to a sleep coach?

Please call our Consumer Care Centre (1800 737 633) for any general enquiries or if you wish to book a free phone or video consultation with a sleep coach. Alternatively, you can book online.

Can I still order a home sleep test?

Yes, we have recommenced our contactless home sleep tests.

Do you have everything I need online?

Yes, you can find all our retail products available on our online store - now with free shipping on all orders. We can also send CPAP rentals directly to your door and assist you over the phone or online through our Consumer Care Centre (1800 737 633).

Can I choose not to use a rental mask?

If you're on a CPAP rental, you can choose to buy a new mask from our extensive range with the rental machine instead of using a rental one.

FAQs - ResMed Devices and COVID-19

Based on the latest information we've gathered, here is the latest guidance on ResMed devices related to COVID-19.



What is a ventilator, and what does it do?

ResMed manufactures a range of ventilators and bilevel devices; both are indicated for home and hospital use, and have the flexibility for use in various clinical scenarios to support patients with respiratory insufficiency and failure. Our ventilators can provide invasive or non-invasive ventilation:

  • Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) is a form of mechanical ventilation where air is delivered to the patient through a mask or mouthpiece.
  • Invasive ventilation is used when sufficient ventilation cannot be achieved using non-invasive methods; air is delivered through a tube inserted into the trachea either by intubation or tracheotomy.
  • Bilevel devices are non-invasive only and deliver two distinct pressures, one for inhalation and the second for exhalation; the change in pressures leads to flow of air in and out of the lungs.
Can I use a CPAP machine as a ventilator?

CPAP devices are designed to provide PAP (positive airway pressure) therapy only. Regular use of your CPAP machine (if you have been prescribed one) will help you stay healthy and alert, which is especially important during this time. ResMed does manufacture and sell a range of ventilation devices. Please contact your healthcare professional to discuss your needs.

How do I obtain a ventilation, oxygen, or bilevel device if I'm diagnosed with COVID-19 - and which would I need?

If you have been tested and diagnosed with COVID-19, you need to follow the recommendation of the healthcare professional that provided the diagnosis. The therapy required to treat the worst cases of COVID-19 is very complex and requires medical expertise and clinically trained staff to administer it. Your healthcare professional has the expertise to decide what kind of therapy is required for each individual.

If I have COVID-19, can I spread it while on invasive or non-invasive ventilation?

Information is changing daily, but the latest we've seen suggests that:

  • Invasive ventilation carries a lower risk of spreading COVID-19 through aerosolisation or droplet dispersion (exhaling air particles that have a contagion) because air exits through a tube just as it came into the patient.
  • Non-invasive ventilation: Evidence suggests that non-invasive ventilation procedures are more likely to produce large droplets (>10 μm) rather than aerosols, and that these are largely confined to within one meter due to their large mass. This suggests that the risk of droplet dispersion as a result of using non-invasive ventilation or bilevel devices may not be that different to that of any COVID-19 patient in the hospital who is coughing or sneezing. Additionally, non-invasive ventilation systems with a good interface fitting do not create widespread dispersion of exhaled air, according to an experts’ panel cited by the U.S. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Recommendations have been published to support good mask fit to reduce aerosols, including the use of full face masks. Nonetheless, the risk of aerosol dispersion needs to be mitigated with appropriate isolation of patients and the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers, such as N95 masks/respirators and eye protection, which are standard protective equipment in a COVID-19 ICU.
If I'm diagnosed with COVID-19 and need a ventilator, is it safe for me to use a reprocessed one (that another patient used)?

For each ResMed device, cleaning and disinfection procedures are provided in the device’s associated clinical guide.

There is little information available on reprocessing requirements for equipment used in treating COVID-19 patients. The following information is based on research that has been conducted on similar viruses, and some limited data on COVID-19.

Published guidance from health authorities reinforces the need to maintain standard cleaning and disinfection procedures. To prevent cross-contamination, antibacterial filters are used on air intake and breathing tubes, and tube accessories are replaced or sterilised by the staff in the care setting. Instructions are provided on the materials and method for cleaning surfaces. Surface disinfection procedures with 62–71% ethanol, 0.5% hydrogen peroxide, or 0.1% sodium hypochlorite have been shown to reduce SARS coronavirus infectivity within one minute.

Can I continue to use my CPAP machine if I'm diagnosed with COVID-19?

Coronavirus doesn't change your sleep apnea diagnosis - or your need to continue using CPAP therapy. You should continue to use your CPAP machine because a full night's sleep benefits your overall health. If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19, you need to follow the medical advice from your healthcare provider.

If I'm diagnosed with COVID-19, should I continue using my ResMed device or get a new one?

If you are being treated for COVID-19, you should share with your doctor or clinical team your pre-existing conditions and what devices you are already using and follow their advice. As described by the World Health Organization, the key risk for spreading COVID-19 is person-to-person transmission in close contact. The most important advice in controlling the spread of COVID-19 is washing your hands, good hygiene, and social distancing. Maintaining the cleanliness of your ResMed device according to the user guide is always a good practice to reduce infection risk to anyone else from any contaminated surfaces.

Can my CPAP machine help prevent COVID-19?

A CPAP machine is an effective therapy device for treating sleep apnea. CPAP use doesn't prevent you from contracting COVID-19. Please refer to your medical professional for more information about COVID-19 and its contamination prevention.

Can I give my CPAP device to a family member to treat COVID-19?

Your CPAP device has been prescribed for personal use only and cannot be used by more than one person without following a disinfection protocol set forth in our user guide. A CPAP machine is used to treat sleep apnea.

Will using CPAP help me if I'm diagnosed with COVID-19?

CPAP machine is only intended to treat sleep apnea.

Am I at greater risk for getting COVID-19 if I use my CPAP?

You are not at higher risk of catching COVID-19 if you use a CPAP device. Please ask your medical professional for more specific information on your concern.

If I have COVID-19, can I still send back a device, mask, or accessory for repairs or replacement?

Yes. ResMed already has strict safety protocols for handling returned medical equipment. We follow those protocols to safely receive, repair, and dispose of returned equipment if necessary. The most important thing to do is to inform your ResMed store before you return the device. Please contact your ResMed store if you have a concern about your device, mask, or accessory.

How can my ResMed device be decontaminated?

Recommendations on disinfection processes for our therapy devices have been provided to your ResMed store.

How do I disinfect my CPAP machine and mask?

Disinfection processes have been provided to your ResMed store. 

If you wish to clean your CPAP machine, the device's user guide explains how to clean it on a weekly basis. For detailed instructions on how to clean your mask and tubing, please refer to the mask's or device's user guide, and the following steps:

  1. Wash the air tubing in warm water using mild detergent. Do not wash in a dishwasher or washing machine.
  2. Rinse the air tubing thoroughly and allow to dry out of direct sunlight and/or heat.
  3. Wipe the exterior of the device with a dry cloth.

Please note: Cleaning any device or mask in the manner recommended in the product's user guide does not guarantee decontamination or disinfection. For more information, contact your ResMed store.

There's a shortage of distilled water where I live. What can I use as an alternative for my CPAP humidification?

As stated in our user guides, *optimal* humidifier performance requires distilled water. That's because most or all of its minerals have been removed, preventing mineral build-up in the humidifier tub. That said, tap or bottled water may also be used. It will not harm the device or pose a risk to users. It will, however, require more rigorous humidifier cleaning to prevent excess mineral build-up in the tub. Inspecting your humidifier tub regularly and following recommended cleaning routine is the best way to keep your tub free from mineral deposits. 

Please see the following daily and monthly cleaning processes:

On a daily basis, we recommend that you wash your water tub in warm water, using a mild detergent. Rinse thoroughly with clean water, and let dry away from direct sunlight.

On a monthly basis, we recommend that you inspect the water tub for wear and deterioration. Replace the water tub if any component has cracked, become cloudy or pitted. Clean any white powder or deposits in the water tub by using a solution of one-part household vinegar to ten parts water.

Can a CPAP device be converted into a Lumis device?

ResMed doesn't comment on specific manufacturing questions related to the IP of our product. As a manufacturer of sleep and breathing devices of 30 years, we are doing everything in our power to meet Australia's needs in the fight against COVID-19.

How should I be cleaning my CPAP equipment to prevent COVID-19?

ResMed's cleaning recommendations have not changed. Our user guides state to clean masks and CPAP components using warm water (approximately 30oC) with mild liquid detergent. Refer to the appropriate user guides for full cleaning instructions. 

Please remember to avoid the following:

  1. Detergents with conditioners or moisturisers
  2. Bleach, alcohol, or cleaning solutions containing alcohol
Can my CPAP machine spread Coronavirus to my bed partner?

The latest information says non-invasive ventilation (delivered by a mask with air diffusers) has a low risk of aerosolisation, provided that there’s a good mask fit, patient isolation, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for care providers.

Are ResMed products “Made in China” safe?

Yes, all Chinese-made components for ResMed products are safe for use, and all components received at a ResMed manufacturing facility go through rigorous safety, cleanliness, and quality checks before manufacturing – processes designed to safeguard against such health threats as COVID-19.