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DNA Explainer: Know your COVID-19 face masks - From cheap yet effective to expensive but worthless

Several types of face masks available on the market to safeguard from COVID-19 – from N95 and surgical masks to home-made and designer fabric masks.

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The phenomenon of wearing masks is set to continue throughout 2022, as recently stated by Dr VK Paul, NITI Aayog member (health). India is wary of a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic which cannot be ruled out yet.

He explained to a leading TV news channel, “Wearing the mask will not go away for some time, we will have to continue to wear the mask even through the next year.”

Masks are an essential aspect of COVID-appropriate behaviour alongside social distancing. Coupled with vaccines and targeting treatment, they have proven effective in containing COVID-19.

While vaccines have emerged as the main weapon for humans in the fight against the virus this year, face masks continue to be the most effective way to prevent catching the disease caused by the SARS-COV-2 virus.

There are several types of face masks available on the market today to safeguard one from COVID-19 – from N95 and surgical masks to home-made cloth masks and high-end designer masks. However, not every mask is as effective. Here we understand the types of masks that one can buy, how much do they cost and what kind of protection can be expected.

How masks protect against COVID-19?

The coronavirus which causes the COVID-19 infection is a respiratory virus that targets the upper and lower respiratory tracts of infected people. Thus, masks offer the first line of protection by preventing the entry of the virus via droplets or aerosols from infected people. Masks are worn to filter out the infection from the air that we breathe in.

Types of face masks available for protection against COVID-19

Masks for COVID-19 require attributes like high fluid resistance and good breathability. The internal and external faces of a mask should be clearly identifiable. The mask should not collapse against the mouth. The recommended design is a duckbill or cup-shaped structure. When buying masks from any shop, one should ensure the product meets the national standards of performance.

Different types of masks are available in the market against COVID-19. These include the two types recommended by the Ministry of Health - the Triple layer medical mask and N-95 Respirator mask. Apart from these specialised masks, there are several different types of cloth or fabric masks also available, ranging from plain and simple masks to designer masks that have become fashion accessories.

The triple layer medical mask, also called the surgical mask, is a disposable wearable which is fluid resistant and protects a person when they come in contact with infectious droplets from an infected person when they cough, sneeze or talk.

The N-95 respirator masks are not just basic face masks but respiratory protective devices. They are highly efficient in filtering out airborne particles that may cause infection. N-95 masks offer an air seal to people wearing them. N-95 masks offer better filtration capability compared to medical masks, if worn correctly.

Then come the cloth or fabric masks, which are not recommended by widely available in the market. These masks can be locally-made and cheap to really expensive creations by fashion labels. To be effective, fabric masks need to be three-layered with an inner layer made of absorbent materials like cotton, a middle layer made of non-woven non-absorbent material like polypropylene and a non-absorbent outer layer made of materials like polyester or a blend of polyester. There effectiveness is largely unproven.

How effective is which face mask?

N95 masks or similar respirators have proven more effective in filtering out virus particles in comparison to disposable medical masks.

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Furthermore, WHO recommends against wearing face masks with valves or openings for exhaling air that a person breathes in. Such masks are recommended for industrial workers but not for protection against COVID-19 as the open valve when breathing air out can allow entry of virus through the mask and thereby rendering it ineffective in keeping out respiratory virus like COVID-19.

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