Johns Hopkins Guide On Face Masks - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Foggy · 04-19-2020, 05:57 PM

COVID-19 / School Of Public Health Expert Insights

The Right Mask for the Task

MARCH 30, 2020

Surgical masks, homemade masks, and respirators have become symbolic of protection during the COVID-19 crisis. How much protection do these masks and respirators really offer, can they be reused, and what are their limits?(...)

(...)N95 respirators are made of special material that removes at least 95% of even the small droplets. They’re also manufactured to fit with a tight seal around the nose and mouth so air and viral particles can’t get around the side of the respirator.

Surgical masks are also made of special material, but they don’t provide a seal around the nose and mouth, meaning that smaller droplets may still be inhaled. Surgical masks are good, however, to protect the nose and mouth from larger droplets from coughs or sneezes, and for preventing infected people from spreading droplets.

Homemade cloth masks may remove some large droplets but will not remove small ones. They cannot provide a seal around the nose and mouth, and their effectiveness is unlikely to be improved by face shields. If surgical masks are not available, cloth masks worn by infected people may reduce the spread of large droplets.

Who should use masks?

Health care professionals need access to N95 respirators when caring for patients with infections that can be spread in tiny airborne droplets. They are on the frontlines of the disease and need adequate protection. Sick people do not need to wear respirators.

Surgical masks can be useful to prevent the spread of droplets from infected people. Previous research also shows that surgical masks can be almost as efficient as N95 respirators at reducing influenza infection among health care personnel. This is because they protect the nose and mouth from larger droplets from coughs and sneezes. It is unknown whether this is true for COVID-19.

Cloth masks may reduce the spread of large droplets from infected people, but a recent study found that they do not provide adequate protection for medical staff. Cloth masks should be used only as a last resort if medical grade masks are not available. (...)

https://www.jhsph.edu/covid-19/artic...-the-task.html

04-19-2020, 05:57 PM	#1
Foggy Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 20, 2014 Posts: 3,423	Johns Hopkins Guide On Face Masks COVID-19 / School Of Public Health Expert Insights The Right Mask for the Task MARCH 30, 2020 Surgical masks, homemade masks, and respirators have become symbolic of protection during the COVID-19 crisis. How much protection do these masks and respirators really offer, can they be reused, and what are their limits?(...) (...)N95 respirators are made of special material that removes at least 95% of even the small droplets. They’re also manufactured to fit with a tight seal around the nose and mouth so air and viral particles can’t get around the side of the respirator. Surgical masks are also made of special material, but they don’t provide a seal around the nose and mouth, meaning that smaller droplets may still be inhaled. Surgical masks are good, however, to protect the nose and mouth from larger droplets from coughs or sneezes, and for preventing infected people from spreading droplets. Homemade cloth masks may remove some large droplets but will not remove small ones. They cannot provide a seal around the nose and mouth, and their effectiveness is unlikely to be improved by face shields. If surgical masks are not available, cloth masks worn by infected people may reduce the spread of large droplets. Who should use masks? Health care professionals need access to N95 respirators when caring for patients with infections that can be spread in tiny airborne droplets. They are on the frontlines of the disease and need adequate protection. Sick people do not need to wear respirators. Surgical masks can be useful to prevent the spread of droplets from infected people. Previous research also shows that surgical masks can be almost as efficient as N95 respirators at reducing influenza infection among health care personnel. This is because they protect the nose and mouth from larger droplets from coughs and sneezes. It is unknown whether this is true for COVID-19. Cloth masks may reduce the spread of large droplets from infected people, but a recent study found that they do not provide adequate protection for medical staff. Cloth masks should be used only as a last resort if medical grade masks are not available. (...) https://www.jhsph.edu/covid-19/artic...-the-task.html