What is the best mask against COVID-19, according to the study?



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Both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, for its acronym in English) have warned about the use of a mask and how essential it is to wear it at all times when going out. at home to reduce coronavirus exposure.

As masks are now an essential element for people, many companies have committed to producing them and have added different designs, colors and patterns to make them more attractive.

However, the increase in the production of masks has raised doubts about the effectiveness of many of them, which is why scientists at the University of Tokyo conducted a study, published in the journal American Society for Microbiology, to check the effectiveness of some of them to protect against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

For research, experts created an air transmission simulator of infectious drops or aerosols, which contain the novel coronavirus, generated by human breathing and coughing, added the aforementioned medium.

The researchers used the simulation experiment to analyze both the files transmissibility of droplets and aerosols, such as the ability of some masks to prevent their transfer, the newsletter stated in its publication.

The study consisted of developing an air chamber e They put two mannequin heads, one in front of the other. One of the heads did not have a mask and was connected to a compressor nebulizer, loaded with 6 ml of SARS-CoV-2 suspension.

ISThe maskless mannequin emitted particles coronavirus who were greeted by the other mannequin, which had a fan that simulated human breathing; The latter was given a tissue mask, then a surgical one, and then an N95 to verify the effectiveness of the 3.

The following image shows what the experiment was like.

American Society for Microbiology
American Society for Microbiology

What is the best coronavirus mask?

In conducting the research, the scientists realized this Cotton masks, surgical masks and N95 protect, but not in the same way, since, with the cloth, the absorption of the virus has been reduced between 20% and 40%; with surgery, 50%; Y, with N95, between 80% and 90%.

Following the experiment, experts determined that medical masks, including surgical masks and some N95s, do not totally block the transmission of small drops of the coronavirus, even when sealed.

“Although the efficiency of infectious virus detection was reduced when the amount of exhaled virus was reduced, viral RNA was detected regardless of the type of mask used. These results indicate that it is difficult to completely block this virus even with a properly fitted N95 mask, “concluded the scientists.

However, the researchers were able to verify that the protective efficacy of face masks is greater when the element is used by the virus spreader. Therefore, it is essential to wear masks in public places; yes, use does not guarantee immunity.

It is also not known whether the tiny drops of the coronavirus that passed through the N95 masks could cause COVID-19, according to the University of Tokyo study.

Although the best mask is the N95, according to research, if you prefer to wear cloth masks, find out what are the best materials to protect you from COVID-19.

On the other hand, it is important to keep in mind that the mask must be changed if it gets wet, as it stops protecting the person from contagion of viruses. Also, it is essential to change it every 4 hours.

Here is a YouTube video of some types of masks available.

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