How to Know if a Mask Is Effective Against Coronavirus

As of July 2020, the World Health Organization recommends wearing a medical face mask if you have symptoms of COVID-19, and wearing non-medical face masks if there are high transmission rates in your area and you cannot socially distance.^[1] Face masks may help prevent the spread of COVID-19 by catching the droplets from your mouth when you talk, breathe, or cough.^[2] Since many people are looking to purchase and wear face masks, it can be hard to tell if yours is effective against the spread of the COVID-19 virus. By inspecting your mask and purchasing it from a reputable seller, you can make sure that you are keeping yourself and others safe when you’re out in public.

[Edit]Steps

[Edit]Putting on Non-Medical Fabric Masks

1. Choose a mask made out of thick cotton. Cotton quilts, cotton sheets, and cotton T-shirts are all great materials to make a mask out of. If you’re making your own, try to choose fabric that is tightly woven so it can catch the water droplets that come out of your mouth.^[3]
   
   • If you aren’t sure if your fabric is woven tightly enough, hold it up to a light. If you can see the light shining through, you should try to go for a different fabric.
2. Check for 2 to 3 layers of fabric on cloth masks. Fabric face coverings are only effective when there are 2 or more layers of fabric. Make sure that the one you are wearing has at least 2 layers, if not more.^[4]
   
   • The double layers of fabric help to trap in more water droplets when you speak, cough, or breathe.
   • Ideally, the outside layer of the mask should be water resistant, the inside layer should be water absorbent, and the middle layer should act as a filter between the two.
3. Make sure the mask fits snugly against your chin and cheeks. Put your mask on by looping the ear loops over your ears. Look in the mirror to see if there are any gaps around your nose, chin, or cheeks. If there are, you may need a smaller mask.^[5]
   
   • If there are gaps around your face, the air that you breathe in and out can escape, making the mask ineffective.^[6]
   • Try to avoid touching the mask itself as you adjust it. Instead, pull it by the ear loops to avoid contaminating your hands.
4. Wash your mask if it’s damp or dirty. If your mask is visibly dirty or it feels damp, put it in the washing machine on a hot water cycle with laundry detergent. Let the washer run its full cycle, then hang the mask up to dry before you use it again.^[7]
   
   • Ideally, you should wash your mask after each use. If you do plan to wear it again without washing it, seal it in a plastic bag until you’re ready to wear it again.

[Edit]Using a Surgical Mask

1. Ensure that your surgical mask is approved by the FDA. Surgical masks are the loose-fitting thin blue masks that loop around your ears and cover your nose and mouth. If you are purchasing a surgical mask, make sure you check for the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, logo on the package to make sure it is a reputable source.^[8]
   
   • Surgical masks usually have 3 layers of protection, but they are often not visible unless you cut open the mask.
   • Non-FDA approved masks may not have the level of protection needed to slow the spread of COVID-19.
   • While surgical masks help to keep the air droplets from your mouth in, they are not effective against filtering air particles that you breathe in.
2. Discard your mask if it’s torn or dirty. Before you put on a surgical mask, check to see if it’s torn or dirty in any spots. If it is, throw your mask away and replace it with a new one.^[9]
   
3. Fit the mask snugly against your nose, cheeks, and chin. If you are wearing a surgical mask, pull the loops over your ears and bend the top to fit around the bridge of your nose. There shouldn’t be any large gaps on your cheeks where air can escape.^[10]
   
   • Gaps between the mask and your skin can allow water droplets to escape into the air, potentially spreading the COVID-19 virus.
4. Throw away your surgical mask after one use. Unfortunately, surgical masks are not reusable, and you should throw them away after using them one time. Be sure to take the mask off by the ear loops and throw the mask into a garbage can with a plastic bag in it to avoid contaminating your hands or your home.^[11]
   
   • Surgical masks are only made for one use, so they become less effective over time.

[Edit]Wearing an N95 Mask

1. Make sure your N95 respirator is NIOSH approved. Respirators are tight-fitting masks that loop around the back of your head or your ears. If you are purchasing a respirator, make sure it is approved by The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, or the NIOSH. This will ensure that it can filter out 95% of airborne particles.^[12]
   
   • Respirators not approved by the NIOSH may not have enough filtration to protect against the spread of COVID-19.
2. Fit the mask snugly against your cheeks, nose, and chin. Pull the straps up and over your head, and secure one around your neck and the other on the back of your head. Check the seal of your respirator to make sure there are no gaps in between the mask and your skin to ensure it is filtering air effectively.^[13]
   
   • If you can get your finger in between your mask and your skin, go for a smaller size.
   • Respirators are supposed to be tight-fitting, and they may leave marks on your skin if you wear them for a long time.
3. Throw away your N95 mask if it’s torn or dirty. You can reuse respirators until they look visibly damp, dirty, or torn. If yours is compromised, throw it in a garbage can lined with a plastic bag to avoid contamination. Although N95 masks are not usually reusable, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued an exception during the global pandemic.^[14]
   
   • You should also throw away your respirator if it becomes hard to breathe through while you’re wearing it.

[Edit]Using a Mask the Right Way

1. Pull the mask on by the loops. To put on your mask, pick it up by the loops on the sides and pull them up and over your ears. Or, grab the straps and pull them on over your head and neck if you’re using a respirator. If you need to adjust your mask, pull the loops or straps back and forth until it’s sitting comfortably on your face.^[15]
   
   • If you do touch the front of the mask while putting it on, wash your hands with soap and water.
2. Avoid touching the mask while it’s on your face. While you’re out and about, try to keep your hands away from your face as best you can. Avoid touching your mask to take it off, pull it down, or adjust it so you don’t contaminate your hands.^[16]
   
   • If you do touch your mask, use some alcohol-based hand sanitizer to clean your hands.
3. Keep the mask on until you can socially distance from other people. Unless you are in an area where you can stay at least from other people, you should keep your mask on. Taking your mask off while you’re near other people can spread the COVID-19 virus, even if it’s just for a moment.^[17]
   
   • If you aren’t sure whether you need to wear a mask out in public, check your state or county guidelines.
4. Take the mask off by pulling on the loops or straps. To remove your mask, grab the ear loops or the head straps and gently pull them up and away from your face. Avoid touching the front of the mask as much as possible to keep from contaminating your hands.^[18]
   
   • Your mask may have filtered out some contaminants that are stuck to the front of the mask, which is why you want to avoid touching it.
5. Wash your hands after taking off your mask. Using soap and warm water, scrub your hands thoroughly, getting your palms, fingers, and under your nails. Rinse your hands thoroughly and dry them off with a clean towel when you’re done.^[19]
   
   • Try to wash your hands every time you go out into public or touch a shared surface.

[Edit]Tips

• Stay up to date with the latest information about COVID-19 by visiting https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public.

[Edit]Warnings

• Face masks should be used in conjunction with other preventative measures, like social distancing, hand washing, and staying home when you feel sick.^[20]

[Edit]References

1. ↑ https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/question-and-answers-hub/q-a-detail/q-a-on-covid-19-and-masks
2. ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings.html
3. ↑ https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/coronavirus-face-masks-what-you-need-to-know
4. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciUniZGD4tY&feature=youtu.be&t=33
5. ↑ https://www.who.int/images/default-source/health-topics/coronavirus/clothing-masks-infographic--web---part-1.png?sfvrsn=679fb6f1_26
6. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Tv2BVN_WTk&feature=youtu.be&t=29
7. ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/how-to-wash-cloth-face-coverings.html
8. ↑ https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/personal-protective-equipment-infection-control/n95-respirators-surgical-masks-and-face-masks
9. ↑ https://www.who.int/images/default-source/health-topics/coronavirus/masks-infographic---final-(web---rgb).png?sfvrsn=c67232f0_15
10. ↑ https://www.who.int/images/default-source/health-topics/coronavirus/masks-infographic---final-(web---rgb).png?sfvrsn=c67232f0_15
11. ↑ https://www.who.int/images/default-source/health-topics/coronavirus/masks-infographic---final-(web---rgb).png?sfvrsn=c67232f0_15
12. ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/respirator-use-faq.html
13. ↑ https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/personal-protective-equipment-infection-control/n95-respirators-surgical-masks-and-face-masks
14. ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/hcwcontrols/recommendedguidanceextuse.html
15. ↑ https://www.who.int/images/default-source/health-topics/coronavirus/clothing-masks-infographic--web---part-1.png?sfvrsn=679fb6f1_26
16. ↑ https://www.who.int/images/default-source/health-topics/coronavirus/clothing-masks-infographic--web---part-1.png?sfvrsn=679fb6f1_26
17. ↑ https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/question-and-answers-hub/q-a-detail/q-a-on-covid-19-and-masks
18. ↑ https://www.who.int/images/default-source/health-topics/coronavirus/masks-infographic---final-(web---rgb).png?sfvrsn=c67232f0_15
19. ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/how-to-wear-cloth-face-coverings.html
20. ↑ https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/question-and-answers-hub/q-a-detail/q-a-on-covid-19-and-masks