The specialist compared disposable medical respirators and masks: which protects better?

BENU pharmacist Marius Lukštaraupis explains in a press release the characteristics of respirators and why they are more suitable for personal protection.

“Disposable medical masks are primarily designed to protect the environment from particles in the exhaled air of the person wearing them, that is, the masks act as a barrier. And the main function of respirators is to protect the user from the environmental particles.

Of course, the respirator also protects bystanders, but only if it does not have a check valve that exhales unfiltered air from the respirator user, that is, with all aerosol particles that may contain the virus, “says the pharmacist.

The pharmacist emphasizes that a properly used respirator provides 89-95% protection, in other words, the highest quality KN95 or N95 respirators filter airborne particles and this reduces the likelihood of inhaling viruses if they are present in the environment. However, when purchasing a respirator, it is important to pay attention to its expiration date and ensure that the product is certified.

The question is what to wear, not whether to wear

Comparing the first quarantine and the current discussions about the use of masks, M. Lukštaraupis points out that today the question no longer arises as to whether such a protection measure is effective in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, which has been proven by numerous scientific studies. Today, however, there is a much more famous controversy over which types of masks to use and which to leave as ineffective.

Participating in the Council of Health Experts convened by President Gitanas Nausėda, Prof. from the Department of Health Management of LSMU Mindaugas Stankūnas also says that seeing the improvement of the situation in Lithuania, the natural question arises of to what extent the use of protective masks has contributed to this. According to the expert, naming a specific number in Lithuania would be speculation, but it is possible to rely on foreign experience.

“Similar calculations made in other European Union countries show that the use of masks can make a significant contribution. Here, the Germans have estimated that the use of masks can reduce the number of new COVID-19 cases by up to 45%. ”Says Prof. M. Stankūnas.

At that time, the pharmacist M. Laukštaraupis emphasizes that adequate face protection is very important for effective protection, and here a respirator can have an advantage.

“The filter of the respirator traps smaller solid and aerosol particles than reusable fabrics or even disposable medical masks. The respirator also fits the face better, leaving fewer areas through which microorganisms can penetrate. It is only important to make sure you put on your respirator correctly; it has to swell and contract slightly when you breathe, which means that the air does not pass over the edges. If there are gaps somewhere, try pressing a metal strip to the nose or shortening the rubber bands that hold the respirator, ”advises the pharmacist.

Foreign highway – respirators

In some countries of the European Union, the use of respirators is also mandatory for the general public. With the spread of new and more contagious strains of coronavirus, some countries (Germany, Austria, France and others) are tightening the rules and, in some cases, introducing higher quality respirators. In the United States, it is recommended to wear two medical masks at the same time.

According to the pharmacist M. Lukštaraupis, wearing a medical mask and respirator reduces the spread of microorganisms and the risk of infection, but must be inseparable from other protective measures: washing hands properly, observing social distance, not touching your face with clothes without washing or sanitizing hands. It is also important to remember that respirators and surgical masks are not recommended to be washed or worn more than once.

“Masks and respirators are made of antistatic material, so it is very important to wash and disinfect your hands and grasp them by the laces before putting them on. When wearing a mask or respirator, you should not touch them, do not remove them, even if your hands look clean, because our skin lipids also worsen the antistatic properties that prevent virus sprays from adhering to the surface of the mask.

If the aerosols still stick, FFP2 level respirators filter better, giving you a greater advantage when you are indoors for long periods of time. With these properties, smooth fabric masks will never be the same as medical masks or even more respirators ”, says the pharmacist, remembering that it is recommended to change the masks and respirators every 2-3 hours. or more often, as soon as it gets wet or dirty.