Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has changed its mask guidelines to recommend that people “constantly wear the most protective masks that are appropriate to cover the face.”
The agency describes suitable respirators approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health – such as the N95 masks – as offering the “highest level of protection”.
The updated guidelines come following several public health experts recommended more effective masks – especially the N95 form – and that the Centers for Disease Control changed its guidance on wearing masks.
Recently, CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Lena Wayne said, “Fabric masks are nothing more than a face adornment. They have no place in the light of the Omicron outbreak.”
Wayne added that in crowded places, “it is recommended to wear KN95 or N95 masks,” which cost a few dollars.
Because there are certain materials in them – such as polypropylene fibers – that act as mechanical and electrostatic barriers, these masks better prevent fine particles from reaching the nose or mouth, and they must be suitable for your face to function properly.
Here’s what you need to know regarding respirators like the Model N95 and how to use them safely
Why do experts recommend wearing an N95 mask now?
N95 masks are now more widely available than they were earlier during the pandemic, and US public health experts also have a better understanding that the primary driver of coronavirus infection is shared air, said Erin Brumage, assistant professor of biology. University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, told CNN last month.
Cloth respirators, whose use was accepted earlier in the pandemic, can filter large droplets, while more effective respirators, such as N95, can filter both large droplets and smaller aerosols or potentially airborne virus particles if people are present. injured.
The cloth face covering also has 75% internal and external leakage, a percentage that was said during the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists as “the percentage of particles entering the face covering” and “the percentage of exhaled particles that exit from the source and through the face covering,” on top of that. straight.
On the other hand, N95 masks that cover the face properly and approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health can filter up to 95% of the particles in the air.
Although it is not known at the present time why so many people are infected with the omicron mutant so quickly, this underscores the importance of wearing high-quality masks, according to Bromage.
What is the difference between N95 and KN95 respirators?
The difference between N95 and KN95 respirators is where both are approved, according to the Oklahoma Department of Health.
The United States is testing, documenting and regulating N95 masks recommended by public health experts, while manufacturers in China are testing KN95 masks, but the country’s government does not have a regulatory body to verify its authenticity, he said. Aaron Collins, Professor Emeritus in the Mercer University School of Engineering and a mechanical engineer with a background in aerosol sciences.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, regarding 60% of KN95 respirators rated National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health During the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, with the requirements they were supposed to meet.
“If KN95 masks are manufactured to standards and approved by relevant boards in the country of origin, such as the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health here, they all provide essentially the same protection,” Bromage explained.
“It may meet the criteria, but it is not certified,” he added.
But masks like the KF94, which are standard Korean masks, have been tested and regulated by the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, according to Kelly Carothers, director of government affairs and sustainability at Project N95, the national clearinghouse that works to provide equitable access to personal protective equipment and virus tests. Corona.
How can I spot counterfeit N95, KN95 or KF94 respirators?
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has a list of approved N95 respirators.
These muzzles should have a cup shape, a flat fold or a duckbill shape; two straps that go around the head; adjustable wired nose bridge; and appropriate labels indicating approval by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The agency also has resources to identify counterfeit N95 masks, which include the complete absence of markings on the mask or the incorrectly written National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
Can children wear N95, KN95 or KF94 respirators?
N95 respirators are medical respirators designed for healthcare workers, so, of course, there are no N95 respirators designed or made for children, because only adults work in healthcare settings.
However, larger children in elementary to middle school age and older can wear N95 masks that come in small adult sizes, Lynsey Marr, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Virginia Tech, told CNN this month.
Mar pointed out that N95 masks, which are marketed to children, should raise your suspicions of being fake.
There will be KN95 and KF94 masks designed for children, however you should make sure you get them from a trusted source.
“Certainly, for children, a KN95 or KF94 respirator will provide on average better protection than a surgical or cloth respirator,” Marr added.
And if you’re having trouble attaching KN95 or KF94 respirators to your child’s face no matter how many brands you’ve tried, you can tie the ear loops or use the Taki wire lock adjustment to ensure the mask fits tight enough, Mar suggested.
Is it safe to reuse N95 masks?
Bromage explained that in medical settings, health care staff often changed masks to avoid contaminating the patient’s room with equipment that was placed in a different location with an infectious person.
So, you can reuse your N95 mask.
Even following placing the N95 mask in a closed and crowded place – such as the subway or a grocery store – the N95 and its filtering ability will not “degrade unless you rub it or make holes in it,” as Marr explained, pointing out that she wears the N95 mask for a week.
“You have to be in an environment with really polluted air… for several days before the muzzle loses its ability to filter out particles,” Marr explained.
However, there are situations that must be kept in mind to safely reuse an N95 respirator, for example when putting it on, avoid touching the front outside of the mask; Instead, handle it by the edges or by the ear straps.
And if you know you’ve been near someone infected with the coronavirus while putting on an N95 mask, you should dispose of that mask so you don’t risk exposure to the virus, according to Bromage.
It is possible to unknowingly be exposed to infected people while wearing an N95 mask, so distancing as much as possible can help reduce risks.
If the mask becomes wet, visibly soiled, bent, difficult to breathe or has been damaged – including from cosmetics – you should replace it to avoid wearing a less effective mask.
Is there a way to clean an N95 mask?
And you shouldn’t wash the N95 mask, because the water will dissipate the mask’s static charge that helps it filter viruses well, Mar said.
She added that what you can do is put the mask aside, because the particles will disappear within several hours, and it will happen faster when you expose it to sunlight.
But the fact that warmer temperatures can have a “sanitizing” effect on an N95 mask doesn’t mean you should microwave your mask, as it can ruin your mask.
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