

While some experts are calling for a nationwide rollout of N95 masks, such masks are currently reserved for health care professionals on the front lines of caring for Covid-19 patients.

Instead they bounce around in a zigzag fashion and are easily caught in the N95’s electrostatic filter. Due to a natural phenomenon called Brownian motion, such minute particles don’t travel in straight lines. See how a mask affects how a cough travelsĮven those that become aerosolized are easily captured.

Masks in this category are also known as “filtering facepiece respirators” or “disposable respirators.” Made from fibers woven with an electrical charge that can trap errant particles – like a sock that sticks to your pants in the dryer – studies have shown N95-type respirators are currently at the top of the line when it comes to filtering large and small particles.
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Working closely with government agencies, industry stakeholders and ASTM International, an international technical standards organization, the standards will apply to filter efficiency, sizing and fit, cleaning and recommended period of use or reuse.įor now, here’s a breakdown of respirators and masks based on current scientific knowledge, and what experts are saying on how to best use them. Guidelines on how to help you make that choice should be out by midspring, according to Jonathan Szalajda, deputy director at the National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory, which is part of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Think of masks as the newest trendy accessory that can save your life – and the lives of those you love.īut instead of what pattern, logo or slogan you display, choose your mask based on its effectiveness against the deadly coronavirus in the environment you are in.
