These face masks are most effective under the new CDC guidelines



[ad_1]

But what kind of face mask will offer you and others the best protection against any new coronavirus circulating in the air?

“In addition to the filtration level, we have to be careful with the assembly,” continued Allen. “You want the mask to cross the bridge of your nose, under your chin, and be flush with your face against your skin. You want your breath to go through the filter medium and not come out of the sides.”

No N95 mask or exhalation values ​​please

This is important: Don’t buy N95 masks for your own use, the CDC says. Although they are the most effective – they filter 95% of all particles – they are considered critical stocks and must continue to be reserved for healthcare professionals and other doctors.

Additionally, N95 masks must be worn to maintain the unique facial contours of each doctor or nurse. You and your loved ones do not have access to such professional equipment.

Pay particular attention to similar N95-type masks, which are sold at major retail distributors, Dr. Marybeth Sexton, assistant professor of infectious diseases at Emory University in Atlanta, recently told CNN.

“Some of these N95 masks used in communities have exhalation valves,” he said. “They make them more comfortable to wear, but you don’t protect the people around you – it lets the air flow directly into the room.

“It can really make matters worse because it focuses your breath in this valve, which allows it to pass some force and the droplets can move a little further. Therefore, we strongly advise people not to wear a mask with a valve. exhalation. “. “

Tightly woven fabric mask

According to the new CDC guidelines, high-fiber cloth masks appear to be an excellent choice.

The researchers created a test to find out which masks are the least effective
Look for a 100% cotton texture, according to studies. Use a light test to check the bond – if you can easily see the outline of the individual fibers while holding the mask to the light, it may not be effective.

You want as many layers as possible without sacrificing breathability – if you can’t breathe, don’t keep the mask on your face. It seems that two and three layer masks are enough for most people.

According to the CDC, “multiple layers of upper fiber material have shown excellent performance compared to single layers of lower fiber material, in some cases filtering out nearly 50% of fine particles smaller than 1 micron.”

This is good news: Studies have found SARS – CoV – 2 in aerosols between 1 and 4 microns.

Furthermore, studies have found that multilayer fabric masks can block between 50% and 80% of droplets and fine particles and “limit the spread of those that are not trapped forward,” the CDC said, “in some studies that perform fabric masks on the same level as surgical masks as barriers to resource control. “

Improvements

The CDC argues that polypropylene, one of the most commonly produced plastics in the world, can “increase filtration efficiency” because it creates a triboelectric charge – or simply static adhesion.

Don't have a false sense of security during the Covid-19 test.  That's why you can test negatively but still be infected and contagious

This electrostatic trap caught your exiting breath and all the droplets pointing away from the others. Since cotton is a more comfortable fabric on the skin, polypropylene is often used as a filter that can be inserted into a two or three layer mask.

Washing kills an electric charge, but don’t worry. The lively friction between the fingers should return this “enveloping” charge.

According to the CDC, silk is a very breathable option, which “can help repel wet droplets and reduce the moisture in the fabric, thereby maintaining breathability and comfort.”

And a study published in September looked at the ability of cotton, polyester and silk to repel moisture when used in masks or as mask inserts.

“We have found that silk face masks repel droplets in spray tests and disposable surgical masks,” the authors wrote, adding that silk masks “may be more breathable than other moisture-absorbing fabrics. and are reusable with cleaning. “

This brings up an important point: To prevent the capture of germs that could irritate the face or reduce the effectiveness of the mask, reusable masks should be washed daily with warm soapy water. Do not put on the mask again until it is completely dry – even if the fabric is wet, it is more difficult to breathe.

“If you use a filter in your mask, make sure you change it regularly as it could clog. You can see if it makes you feel like it’s a little harder to breathe, ”Sexton said of Emory.

Mask label

Even the most protective protective mask will fail if you wear it badly. It is necessary to cover your entire face at all times, which means that you will not let it slip under your nose, please.

Will college students bring Covid-19 home for Thanksgiving?
Noses are important. The drops from the nose are generally smaller than from the mouth, but this also means that they can stay in the air longer. Studies on high-speed cameras show that sneezing can spread respiratory droplets of 7 to 8 feet, which is more than 26 feet, high above the height of a giraffe (20 feet).

If you have trouble breathing with a covered nose, find a better sitting mask.

It’s also important to wear a mask wherever you go, even in the car if you’re with people out of your bubble.

“If you are going to take an Uber taxi, you absolutely must wear a mask and the driver should wear a mask,” Allen said. “And you want to lower the windows, even in bad weather. Even just opening a little will be of great help.”

Always wear a hand sanitizer

Regardless of what type of mask you wear, you will need to eat and eat it to eat it or adjust it while it’s on your face. Thanks to this, hand disinfection is the mask’s best friend, experts say.

“The masks keep slipping, especially when you speak,” said Dr. Henry Wu, an associate professor of infectious diseases at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta.

“It may therefore require regular adjustments,” Wu said. “This is all the more reason to have hand sanitizer with you, so you can always have clean hands to squeeze this mask or pull it back.”

[ad_2]
Source link