What is a Mask?: A mask is a physical barrier between your mouth and nose and your environment. Not all masks are the same. Some masks are called particulate respirators because they filter particles, such as droplets of respiratory secretions emitted by a person infected by the H5N1 avian flu virus or tuberculosis when he or she sneezes or coughs. Some masks make a seal around your face, others do not.
What is the Difference Between a Mask, Respirator and Face Shield?: The terms are often used interchangeably, but there is a difference. Air must pass through respirators such as N95, N99 and N100 masks, whereas when using a simple mask, such as a procedural mask or a surgical mask, that is not also a respirator, air may also be breathed in from the leaky sides. See the definition of N95, N99 and N100.
What Do Masks Filter Out?: Masks provide a physical barrier between common entry paths of viruses and bacteria, your mouth and nose, and the germ. Germs, or particle the germs are riding on, become trapped in the mask. N95 masks are 95 per cent efficient at filtering out particles that are greater than 3 micrometers in diameter. N99 masks are 99 per cent efficient and N100, 100 per cent efficient. Droplets emitted by sneezing, coughing or talking are 5 micrometers or bigger, so these masks will work well for influenza or tuberculosis infection control.
Masks Do Not Provide Total Protection: Masks provide some protection if used properly. Masks must be fit properly each time they are used. Masks can give people a false sense of confidence. This confidence may lead to participating in high risk activities to contract bird flu unnecessarily during an outbreak or pandemic or in the event of close contact with tuberculosis. Goggles, gloves, aprons and boots are other personal protection equipment items people in close contact with deadly germs may need. Remember that another entry way for germ laden droplets are the eyes.
Who Should Wear a Mask: At this time, H5N1 bird flu is not very transmissible among humans, so it is not necessary to wear a mask unless you find yourself in an area where highly pathogenic bird flu has been confirmed or you research avian influenza and have contact with samples that may contain highly pathogenic avian influenza. The most common mode of transmission of bird flu is from direct contact with birds. If there is an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza or pandemic flu or you believe there is a reason to wear a mask due to a risk of tuberculosis, please refer to Who Should Wear a Mask.
Kind of Mask You Need: The types of masks that will help protect you from H5N1 bird flu and other types of influenza and tuberculosis if used properly are:
- N95 masks that are both NIOSH certified and FDA approved or the European equivalent, FFP2. These are respirators AND surgical masks.
- N99 or N100 standard mask.
- Surgical masks, that are not respirators, and procedural masks are much cheaper than the above masks, but they will not efficiently protect you from getting influenza because they have leaky sides. It is recommended that patients wear surgical masks, however, to reduce the spread of the virus from coughing and sneezing.
Masks for Children: In general, masks are made for workers, not for children. Some masks may fit small faces better than others, but at least in the US there are no child specific N95 masks. Children should avoid participating in high bird flu risk activities and should not be in close contact with patients with tuberculosis. For bird flu prevention, please see Children and Bird Flu Prevention.
What if I Cannot Afford to Buy Masks or They are Not Available: In fact, you can make your own mask that would be better than no mask in case of an outbreak. (See the article "Simple Respiratory Mask" in the CDC's free online journal, Emerging Infectious Diseases.) However, a makeshift mask is not a substitute for avoiding the top 10 bird flu risk activities. In fact, wearing a mask can boost a user's confidence and encourage him or her to participate in activities he or she would avoid under no mask circumstances.
How Many Masks You Need: The number of masks needed to prevent tuberculosis depends on the duration of the disease and level of exposure. In the case of bird flu or a pandemic, for most people, 90 masks of N95 efficiency or higher should be enough for a 6 week period, but before you buy masks, see the pros and cons of pandemic stockpiling.
If you plan to buy masks, the quantity you buy will depend upon your exposure. See how many masks you need for a list of how many masks are needed for different people.
Where to Buy Bird Flu Masks: Once you have decided to buy a mask, you may want to look over this list of N95 NIOSH certified and FDA approved Masks to find manufacturers and models that comply to these norms. Then proceed to buy masks from an authorized vendor such as:
- Hospital Supply Stores.
- Hospital Supply Catalogs.
- N95 Masks and Simple Surgical Masks Online (3M Respirators, Dynarex and CVS surgical masks).