Which Type of Mask Is the Most Effective against COVID-19
The coronavirus pandemic has undeniably changed the world and impacted almost every sphere of our everyday life. Many countries went into lockdown, people couldn’t meet their friends or family members, businesses were forced to switch to remote work, and mass events have been either canceled or postponed until further notice.
However, the most significant change can be seen on the streets – people wearing and queuing in front of the grocery store have become a normality. The government is doing everything in its power to make sure the amount of new coronavirus cases becomes stable or decreasing. That cannot happen without our cooperation as a society, though.
As experts from heartlandmedical.com, as well as many other professionals from all over the world notice, there are several things that we can do in order to protect ourselves and our loved ones from the coronavirus disease. Those include washing our hands frequently, keeping social distancing, not touching our faces, and, as we already mentioned face cover
However, that raises a question – which type of cover face is the most effective when it comes to disease control and prevention? If you want to find out more about it, all you have to do is keep reading.
Top Three Most Effective Mask against COVID-19
1- N99/N95 Masks
The N95 face is the most effective & commonly used in hospitals as it offers the highest level of protection. Just like the names suggest, it blocks up to 95% of particles coming in contact with your face. Also called an N95 respirator, the designed to form a seal around the wearer’s mouth and nose.
Keep in mind that this type is not really recommended for children or people with facial hair, as it will not guarantee full protection. Similarly, it is not recommended for people who suffer from chronic respiratory, cardiac, or other medical condition that results in breathing problems, can make breathing even more difficult. Due to that, as well as the fact that the hospitals and medical centers are experiencing shortages of this type, they should be primarily reserved for health care workers and first responders.
The N95 respirator is of single use, so if it is damaged, soiled, or starts causing trouble with breathing, it needs to be thrown away and replaced with a new one. The safest way to discard it is by putting it in a plastic bag and placing it in the trash. Once it’s done, wash your hands thoroughly to get rid of any germs that might have transferred onto them when taking off.
2- Surgical Masks
Surgical masks are usually used by healthcare workers that don’t have access to the N95 masks. Contrary to N95 that creates close facial fit, those are loose-fitting – the edges are not disagreed to form a seal around your nose or mouth.
Their purpose is to help your nose and mouth avoid making contact with droplets, sprays, or splashes that could contain germs. They filter out large particles of air and make sure that the droplets you produce, for example, when coughing, sneezing, or talking, are not transferred to the outside.
Keep in mind that they are single-use – once you take it off, should be thrown away and discarded, possibly in the same way as the N95.
3- Cloth/Fabric Masks
The purpose of fabric or cloth is to trap the droplets released when the wearer is sneezing, coughing, or talking – they are very helpful when it comes to stopping the spread of the virus. The important thing, however, is that the person wearing doesn’t touch it, or washes their hands right after.
Those masks are very easy to purchase or even make at home. According to one of the recent papers, the “hybrid” cloth that combine two layers of 600-thread-count cotton with another material, such as chiffon, silk, or flannel, are some of the most effective ones. The study showed that was able to filter more than 80% of small particles and more than 90% of larger particles of air.
According to WHO, a cloth should have three layers – an absorbing inner layer, a filtering middle layer, and a third layer made of nonabsorbent material such as polyester. A study performed by the University of Illinois that still needs to be reviewed found made of three layers of silk shirt or 100% cotton t-shirt can be as effective as a medical.
The Bottom Line
So which face mask is the most effective when it comes to protecting yourself against COVID-19? The answer is pretty obvious – the N95 masks or N95 respirators as some call them.
However, you have to keep in mind that those should be reserved for health care workers and other medical first responders, who are trying their best to save as many lives as possible. But this can become difficult if the shortages of those types of masks continue.
So, if you don’t work in a hospital or other medical facility, we would recommend using the cloth masks that you can easily make at home. If you make them correctly, you can achieve the same level of protection medical masks give.
Whichever mask type you choose, remember to stay safe, and do everything the authorities advise you to do – in times like this, your safety is their priority.