There are tons of different protection masks available so it can be a bit confusing as to which ones will give you the best protection. Here is a simple guide to the masks available in the current market.

Cloth Masks:

Cloth masks are totally useless for coronavirus. So forget them and don’t waste your money on this kind of face mouth masks!

N95 Masks:

The US-based National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) gives masks the N95 rating for being able to filter out 95% of particulate matter. There are also N99 masks that filter out over 99% of particulate matter, but these are more expensive and can be difficult to find.

Examples: 3M 9501, 3M 8110S, 3M 8210, 3M 9210

KN95 Masks:

According to the GB2626 standard requirements, KN type masks are classified again according to their filtering performance for non-oily particles, and we have become familiar with three types of masks, KN90, KN95, and KN100. The KN95 mask refers to a filtration efficiency of greater than 95% for non-oily particles above 0.075 microns, and the diameter of the new coronavirus pneumonia virus is about 0.1 to 0.12 microns. Therefore, wearing a KN95 mask can effectively prevent the virus.

Medical Surgical Masks:

Qualified masks that meet all the standards of GB2626 have no anti-penetration requirements. The biggest difference between KN type masks and medical surgical masks is here. Medical surgical masks have anti-permeability requirements, and the outermost layer is a waterproof layer. KN type masks conforming to GB2626 are not waterproof. Therefore, care must be taken to avoid droplets and saliva spray from patients, so as to prevent the masks from getting wet and increasing the bacterial permeability!

Is it better to choose a mask with or without a breathing valve?

It is clearly mentioned in GB2626 that whether it is a disposable mask or a replaceable mask, it is divided into two types: with breathing valve and no breathing valve.

No breathing valve mask: two-way protection, whether inhaled or exhaled, must be filtered by the mask.

Masks with one-way breathing valve: the wearer can only protect himself and cannot protect the environment or even will be harmful to people who are near him. It is recommended that everyone wear a no breathing mask.

Can kn95 masks be used repeatedly?

Can the mask be used repeatedly? Experts Zong Zhiyong and Wang Yanhuan clearly stated: “No, no matter what type of mask, there is a life span. It is recommended to replace the disposable medical mask once every 4 hours; the recommended time limit for medical protective masks is 6 to 8 hours.”

The epidemic virus is ubiquitous. Changing masks is like washing our hands. The outside of the masks will be covered with a lot of bacteria in the air. Repeated wearing requires rigorous alcohol disinfection. Therefore, I strongly recommend that you don’t choose reuse masks in this special period just in case.