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When public health officials recommended in April that people wear face masks to help stop the spread of COVID-19, most grabbed everything they could get their hands on. But with time, and more research, many people put a little extra thought into the type of masks to buy.
Face masks inserted with copper had their moment – the theory was that the antimicrobial and antiviral properties of the material could provide better protection than ‘ordinary’ masks. But now there is a mask infused with silver ion that gets a lot of attention.
It’s called the CAXXA silver ion face mask, and you can stick to a two-pack Amazon.com for $ 17.
Silver also has antimicrobial properties. It is known to be biologically active when in a charged (aka ionic) state. Research has found that silver ions can enter the cell of bacteria and disrupt the path of the bacteria. It can also disrupt DNA and its replication cycle so that bacteria do not spread.
“Silver has known antibacterial activity,” says Dr. Richard Watkins, an infection control physician in Akron, Ohio, and a professor of internal medicine at Northeast Ohio Medical University, tells Yahoo Life. In fact, he says, “silver coating is used on some medical devices to reduce the risk of infections.”
What is not clear, however, is whether silver can help protect against COVID-19 when it is in mask form. These particular masks are made with 94 percent polyester and 6 percent silver glass fiber, and you can actually see the silver on the outer layer.
Like other cloth masks, they are washable and resilient. They also have adjustable ear loops to help you get a perfect fit.
Whether the silver element helps or not, the masks comply with guidelines set by the World Health Organization (WHO) for face masks of cloth. According to the recommendations, dust sight masks should be made of at least three layers containing the following elements:
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An inner layer made of an absorbent material such as cotton.
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A middle layer made of a non-woven material such as polypropylene. This is designed to act as a filter.
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An outer layer made of a non-absorbent material, such as polyester or a polyester blend.
This face mask has it all: It contains an inner layer made of 65 percent polyester and 35 percent cotton, a middle layer made of polyethylene terephthalate and an outer layer that has 94 percent polyester and 6 percent silver ion fiber.
And Amazon shoppers are taking note. ‘These are the only masks that both my husband and I could agree on. We both love the way they look and the way they fit, ‘wrote one five-star reviewer.
“So far, they are the most comfortable and ‘breathable’ masks I have encountered, even with the extra layer in between,” said another. Yet another five-star reviewer raved about the mask’s “high end” appearance, noting that it was “suitable for an executive meeting.”
“I have people who ask me all the time where I got it,” the reviewer added.
It is unclear at this point whether silver ion face masks are the next big thing in COVID-19 protection. But if you are looking for a plain-looking mask that meets public health guidelines, this one is a winner.
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