What masks are safe to wear when going out in public during the pandemic?
The 2020 pandemic has caused the use of personnel protective equipment (PPE) extremely necessary and out of all the PPEs, wearing face masks is considered as the most important public health measure to stop the transmission of the lethal coronavirus infection.
A variety of masks having different colors, textures and protective capabilities are available in the market nowadays. But the availability of a variety of masks has caused a great confusion and people are now worried that which mask they should wear while going out in public. To avoid this confusion, let’s find out the safest mask available in the market.
Types of masks
Masks that are being used nowadays include:
· Cloth face masks
· Surgical masks
· N95 respirators or masks
Cloth face masks
Cloth face masks or homemade masks are made by using commonly available fabric or textiles. The effectiveness of these masks depends on various factors including the material, the number of layers, seal, fit, and other factors. They are quite economical and can be reused after washing but they are less effective and do not provide as much protection as other face masks. Their use is recommended only when there is a shortage of other masks.
Surgical masks
It is a disposable mask with a loose-fitting that provides protection against potential contaminants. They are also called isolation masks, medical masks or procedure masks, etc. They are usually made in multiple thicknesses and are available in different colors including white, blue, black, green, etc. If this mask is worn properly, then it provides protection against large droplets or splashes that contain germs. But due to loose fit, it does not provide protection against very small particles and these masks should not be used more than once.
N95 masks
N95 masks also called N95 respirators are protective respirators that are designed to provide an efficient filtration of very small airborne contaminants by giving a close and tight facial fit to the nose and mouth. They are usually made up of four different layers of a non-woven fabric. They provide protection to the wearer and others by filtering at least 95% of the airborne particles. That’s why they are called N95 masks. They are also available in different colors including white, blue, black etc. Some of the N95 masks also contain an exhalation valve which aids a lot in breathing. As compared to other masks, black N95 mask made in USA provides maximum protection to the wearer and the surroundings.
The purpose of a face mask is to protect not only the wearer but also the other people in the surroundings. Out of all the masks mentioned and discussed above, N95 masks made in the USA are the most effective and it provides maximum protection while giving a perfect fit to the nose and mouth. So N95 masks should be preferred and used instead of other masks which provides minimum protection to the wearer and others.
If you are looking to buy black N95 masks made in USA, go to medicalsupplyall.com. They have the finest mask varieties for everyday use.
