What You Need to Know About Different Types of Facemasks
The world is in the middle of a devastating pandemic and everybody seems to be wearing a facemask like a scene out of a sci-fi movie depicting a dysfunctional futuristic scenario. Be that as it may, there is no doubt about the fact that facemasks are an extremely important component of mankind’s battle against the coronavirus outbreak.
The trouble is that facemasks, being a piece of specialist medical equipment come in many varieties, meant to be won by different types of people in different types of situations. As facemasks are effectively the most important personal protection equipment for both medical professionals and individuals it makes sense to understand what the different types are and which ones should be used.
Here’s a lowdown:
- Surgical Masks
Surgical masks have a three ply or layer design comprising of two layers of non-woven fabric encompassing what is known as a ‘melt-blown’ layer. This helps filter the air being breathed out by the person donning the mask. The melt-blown layer is comprised of a fabric made up of tiny filaments and the efficacy of a surgical mask depends upon the filtering ability of the filaments. The least that anybody can do to check the efficacy of a surgical mask is to check that a melt-blown layer exists inside.
- N-95
An N-95 is a respirator type of facemask that affords better protection than a surgical mask to the wearer as it seals off the whole face. Unlike surgical masks, it filters both inflow and outflow of air. The U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) has recommended the N-95 as protective equipment useful against the pandemic. This respirator type of mask has enough filter capacity to block any particle that is 0.3 micron and larger in size with 95% efficacy.
- KN-95
This again is a respirator type of facemask that works far better than a surgical mask in providing comprehensive protection to the wearer against the virus as it can comprehensively filter both inflow and outflow of air. It is equal to if not better than the N-95 standards in every respect. The KN-95 too possesses the capacity to filter particles 0.3 microns and larger in size with 95% efficiency. As a respirator it has been found ideal for filtering all manner of pollutants, contaminants and viruses. It can, therefore, prove to be a very effective barrier against the spread of the pandemic.
- FFP2
This respirator type of facemask is the European equivalent of the N-95 and KN-95 facemasks and conforms to EN 149-2001 standards. Such masks have to provide a minimum 94% filtration capacity and can have no more than 8% inward leakage. They have in the past been successful in providing healthcare workers protection against the influenza viruses and are considered as effective against the current pandemic.
Conclusion
Facemasks are an important tool in the ongoing fight against the coronavirus. With highly efficient and efficacious respirator types of facemasks like the N-95, KN-95, FFP2 types available to people, there is no reason for vast numbers of people to risk their lives by using masks of suspect quality and effectiveness.
With the scary and distressing number of people falling sick and even dying on account of the pandemic surging with every day, it makes eminent sense to get the best protection available to us. N-95, KN-95 and FFP2 type of masks work are highly suitable PPEs to save lives.
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