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At their Corona summit on Tuesday, January 19, the federal and state governments agreed to not only extend the lockdown until February 14, but also a stricter mask requirement. Nationwide, everyone in stores and public transportation must now wear medical masks. Self-sewn cloth mask is prohibited.
Particularly strict rules apply in Bavaria: in retail and local public transport, so-called FFP2 masks are mandatory. Also in nursing homes, staff and visitors must wear FFP2 masks. Since Monday, January 25, anyone who does not wear an FFP2 mask is even threatened with a fine of 250 euros. In addition to FFP2 masks, comparable masks with the abbreviation N- or KN95 are also allowed. However, experts such as virologist Ulrike Protzer, director of the Institute for Virology at the Helmholtz Zentrum München and director of the Institute for Virology at the Technical University of Munich, do not find the requirement for FFP2 masks in Bavaria to be particularly helpful. The Munich virologist sees three main problems.
The top three shortcomings of FFP2 masks
First problem: FFP2 masks are not a medical device
FFP2 masks are “something that comes from occupational health and safety” and therefore not governed by the Medical Device Act, says Protzer. Consequently, FFP2 masks are not as strictly controlled as surgical masks.
One consequence of the poor quality control of FFP2 masks may be that some of them come on the market with poorer filter material, as happened recently in the Aschaffenburg district. 1000 FFP2 masks were recalled due to insufficient density.
Second problem: FFP2 masks only help if they are tight on the sides
In theory, FFP2 masks should stop at least 94 percent of all aerosols through which the coronavirus is significantly transmitted. This only works if the mask fits snugly on the sides. For example, if the beard gets in the way, the good filter effect is a thing of the past. In this case, even surgical masks work better because their material can, if used correctly, protect against up to 98 percent of aerosols.
Third problem: it is difficult to breathe with the FFP2 masks; not everyone wears them constantly
Because FFP2 masks fit so close to the face, they are also more uncomfortable to wear. Not all skin users accept that. And this is exactly where the virologist Protzer sees a disadvantage of FFP2 masks from a virological point of view.
“[Man bekommt schlechter Luft] and then I tend to push it away from my face for a moment, and then of course the effect wears off. Especially when I have to strain, for example when climbing a flight of stairs, then wearing an FFP-2 mask can be uncomfortable. “Ulrike Protzer, Director of the Institute of Virology at the Helmholtz Zentrum München and Director of the Institute of Virology at the Technical University from Munich
However, with a medical surgical mask, you can do just fine, Protzer says. However, if people start using the elevator again instead of taking the stairs, then “the whole effect wears off,” says the virologist. “Because clearly there is an increased risk of infection in elevators,” Protzer said.
FFP2 masks: more criticism of Bavaria’s decision
Christoph Spinner, an infectologist at the Technical University of Munich, also cautiously criticizes the decision of the Bavarian state government to prescribe FFP-2 masks when shopping and on public transport. Because breathing is so difficult with the FFP2 mask, it is basically only for healthy people. And even people without health problems would have to take regular breaks from wearing FFP2 masks, hence Spinner’s argument against the requirement of FFP2 masks.
He considers correct the decision of the other federal states to also allow blue surgical masks. “I am very happy that politicians have found a rational approach here and that, in my opinion, they have not overreacted,” says Spinner.
Even the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) had until recently recommended the use of FFP2 masks for individuals after “carefully weighing the potential benefits and undesirable risks.” In the meantime, however, the information in this regard has been modified.
The WHO and other organizations consider that surgical masks are sufficient
The WHO and the German Societies for Hospital Hygiene and Hygiene also consider surgical masks sufficient to protect against coronavirus infection. Studies on influenza viruses have already shown that they protect against virus transmission as well as FFP-2-like N95 masks.
Infectiologist: mandatory FFP2 mask if there is an increased risk of infection
Spinner, a Munich-based infectious disease specialist, believes that wearing FFP2 masks is only helpful when there is an increased risk of infection.
“In Germany, FFP-2 masks should only be used where there is a particularly high risk of aerosol formation. For example, when dealing with patients with the Sars Corona-2 virus. Or with suspected patients.” Christoph Spinner, Senior Physician at the Internal Medicine Clinic and Polyclinic at the Klinikum rechts der Isar of the Technical University of Munich
Providing nursing homes and nursing homes across the country FFP2 masks, as Bavaria intends to do, makes sense in any case, in contrast to the FFP2 mask requirement in stores and on local public transport.
