How to decide on a face masks

In many regions, wearing face coverings is now mandatory. However, what should you know about choosing a face mask? And how do you know if you are choosing the right face mask?

As the pandemic continues and the fall season begins, more time is spent indoors compared to the summer months. Therefore, preventive measures to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) will become more important.

It remains an important endeavor to keep preventing the virus from spreading and smoothing the curve to keep our health systems from becoming overwhelmed. An ever-increasing body of research supports the belief that wearing a face covering may reduce the risk of virus transmission, suggesting that wearing masks in public – especially where social distancing could be challenging – offers significant protection can.

We have already provided information on the different types of face masks – from N95 respirators to non-surgical face masks. The different levels of protection offer methods of reuse and disinfection in addition to the people who should wear each type of mask.

How to choose a face mask

Choosing a face mask seems like an easy task. The more time passes, the more different face coverings are available in different designs and styles. But should you choose your face mask based on looks only? What should you look out for and how can you be sure that you are choosing the right mask for you?

It is currently recommended that medical masks (surgical masks, medical masks, and N95 respirators) only be used by healthcare workers or by patients with COVID-19. The safety of healthcare workers is a top priority as they are at the greatest risk of coming into contact with infected patients and becoming infected with the virus.

Non-medical masks or cloth covers should be worn in public. As recommended by Health Canada and the CDC, consider the following when choosing a face mask:

– A mask that fits securely with either ties or ear loops – comfortably and securely covers your nose and mouth without gaping

– a mask that can be washed and dried without losing shape or fit

– a mask that is comfortable so you don't always have to adjust it

– a mask that consists of (at least) two layers of a tightly woven, breathable material (e.g. cotton or linen)

If you wear glasses, choosing a mask with a nasal wire so that it fits better over your nose can help prevent your glasses from fogging up.

What type of fabric is best for a fabric mask?

It is important that the mask you choose is not made from a non-breathable material such as plastic.

Although cloth masks cannot block individual virus particles, viruses are usually transmitted through larger “droplets” that contain many particles. These droplets can spread through the air when people talk, eat, cough, or sneeze. It is these larger particles that are more likely to be blocked by cloth masks. In addition to being dispersed into the air, the droplets can fall onto objects such as tables, which are then touched by others, potentially allowing the virus to be transmitted. Wearing masks can potentially prevent the transmission of airborne droplets, as well as droplets that come to rest on objects in the vicinity.

Although the filtration efficiency of cloth masks is lower than that of surgical or N95 masks, they still offer significant protection against the spread of droplets containing virus particles. According to one study, when applying the principles of evidence-based medicine to public policy, there is high quality, consistent evidence that many (but not all) cloth masks reduce the transmission of droplets and aerosols, and possible contamination of the environment by viruses, including SARS -CoV-2 ”3 However, since the filtration is not 100 percent, it is important to maintain physical distance and continue hand washing.

A research study4 comparing the filtration efficiency of different fabrics typically used to make fabric masks found that cotton, natural silk and chiffon provide good protection as long as the fabric is tight. They reported that higher threads per inch (thread count) were better able to filter particles. In addition, they reported that silk and chiffon are also effective and that combining cotton with silk or chiffon could provide better protection. This study also reported that the fit of the mask was very important.

Other things to consider

Other safety issues should be considered when choosing a face mask. You should not share your mask with anyone, and your mask should not in any way obstruct your vision or interfere with other important tasks.

Masks should never be placed on people who cannot remove them without assistance, on people with breathing difficulties, or on children under two years of age.

It can be helpful to have more than one mask on hand – especially for young children – who may need a clean mask during the day.

It's also a good idea to have enough masks to make sure they're always available for you – spare masks, for example, while others are being washed. It is recommended to wash the masks after each use. This may mean having some spare masks on hand at some point.

References:

1. Non-Medical Masks and Face Coverings: About. Government of Canada. https://www.canada.ca/de/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/prevention-risks/about-non-medical-masks-face-coverings.html
2. How to choose, wear and clean your mask. CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings.html
3. Clase CM, Fu EL, Joseph M. et al. Cloth Masks Can Prevent the Transmission of COVID-19: An Evidence-Based, Risk-Based Approach (published online before going to press, May 22, 2020). Ann Intern Med. 2020; M20-2567. doi: 10.7326 / M20-2567 https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M20-2567?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_campaign=coronavirus&
4. Abhiteja Konda, Abhinav Prakash, Gregory A. Moss, Michael Schmoldt, Gregory D. Grant and Supratik Guha. Aerosol filtration efficiency of common materials used in respirators. : ACS Nano 2020, 14, 6339–6347 https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acsnano.0c03252

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