A new study proves: FFP-3 masks offer very good protection when dealing with infectious patients. Medical surgical masks, however, are not sufficient in hospitals. An overview of the different mask types
A new British study shows that hospitals where doctors and nurses observe strict hygiene and wear FFP3 masks were able to rule out COVID-19 transmission to almost 100 percent.
So masks work – some more, some less.
Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, most countries in the world have introduced mandatory masks for public spaces, public transport and shops. In Germany, too, masks were mandatory during the last corona wave in public buildings and offices, on trains and buses or in taxis. First a so-called everyday mask was sufficient, later a FFP2 mask was required. We explain what the different standards mean. Everyday mask
A regulation valid until the beginning of 2021 in Germany prescribed an everyday mask for most public areas. This is a piece of fabric that completely covers the mouth and nose. It can also be a scarf or a scarf. When exhaling, it inhibits the airflow. And this already significantly reduces the risk of infection for other people.
Wearing an everyday mask does not serve to protect those who wear the mask Face mask from infection. It is exactly the other way around: All others should be protected from the possibly existing germs of the person wearing the mask. And because infected people can be carriers even before the onset of disease symptoms, virtually every person is considered a potential viral slinger.
The everyday mask made of fabric should be changed frequently and washed hot so that the viruses do not survive. The logic behind the mask requirement is therefore: If everyone adheres to it, the overall risk of infection in society decreases. Surgical masks
The simple mouth-nose protection, a mask made of quite thin paper fleece, is practically the professional variant of the everyday mask. It used to be used almost exclusively in operating rooms, but can now be seen almost everywhere.
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Respirators put to the test Smog alarm
City dwellers are using masks to protect their lungs from the rising fine dust pollution in Asia. Many believe they are safe.
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Respirators put to the test Deadly fog
Fine dust particles below 2.5 thousandths of a millimeter in diameter are particularly dangerous. They penetrate deepest into the lungs and from there into the blood vessels. But which respirator offers the best protection against them?
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Respirators put to the test Clarity through science
The actual effect of the masks has only recently been investigated. Scientists from the University of Massachusetts tested four of the most common models available in Kathmandu.
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Respirators put to the test More bad than right
Respirators made of fabric are most popular in South Asia. They are cheap, washable and available everywhere in fashionable colors and patterns. However, the substance only protects against coarse dust – fine dust particles enter the lungs unhindered.
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Respirators put to the test Mediocre
Cone-shaped masks with a vent valve provide more protection. They filter about 60 percent of diesel exhaust gases and up to 90 percent of larger particulate matter.
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Respirators put to the test Surprisingly effective
To the surprise of scientists, surgical mouthguards offer the best protection. This disposable medical mask filters up to 80 percent of both large and small particles from the air. This makes it almost as effective as higher-quality masks.
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Respirators put to the test No escape
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than three million people worldwide die every year as a result of high levels of air pollution. These include strokes, heart disease, lung cancer and asthma.
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Respirators put to the test Air pollution pilloried
Hundreds of Nepalese demonstrated on World Environment Day last June for the improvement of air quality in the capital Kathmandu.
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Respirators put to the test A matter of courtesy
Japanese wear respirators not only because of the fine dust. Especially during the flu season, they want to protect themselves and others from viruses. Wearing a mask is part of the good tone there and has become a fashionable trend.
Author: Marleen Heuer
Doctors and surgical assistants wore this mouthguard mainly to avoid infecting their patients with pathogens on the operating table. If the wearer of the mask coughs or sneezes, for example, most of the droplets get stuck in the mask.
However, this only works in the long run if the mask is changed regularly and disposed of hygienically safely. In the surgical area, the mask must be changed at least every two hours. If, on the other hand, you wear such a mask again and again, it quickly loses its function.
When the third wave rolled in Germany at the beginning of 2021, wearing such a mask became mandatory. An everyday mask was no longer enough. How much self-protection does the mask offer?
The wearer of the mask can protect himself from droplet and smear infections, but only to a very limited extent. Although the virus usually enters the body through the mouth or eyes (if there are no open wounds), the most important role is played by the hands.
The surgical mask, sensibly combined with safety glasses, serves less to intercept the virus-containing droplets. Rather, they are a constant reminder that you should not touch your nose with your hands when it itches. Nor should you rub your eyes.
In corona times, however, doctors and nurses hardly wear simple surgical masks. In the face of the pandemic, higher-quality masks with better filtering effect have become established virtually everywhere in the professional sector.
A high-quality FFP-3 mask protects wearers from viruses, bacteria, fungal spores and asbestos when used correctly. But this mask has an exhalation valve. It does not protect the child if the mother is infected. FFP half masks offer better protection
These are particle-filtering half masks in different designs, which are divided into three so-called FFP protection classes in the European Union. This stands for “filtering face piece”. Such masks contain a special filter fleece that binds viruses by exploiting electrostatic forces. They are available either as a disposable mask, usually made of strong pulp pressed with a filter element – with or without exhalation valve. Or as a plastic mask in which a suitable filter is inserted. However, if the mask has an exhalation valve, it does not protect third parties from the potentially infectious wearer of the mask. FFP1
FFP1 masks are better than surgical masks, but do not offer the desired protection against viruses. These masks are intended more for craftsmen who want to protect themselves from harmful dusts and aerosols – for example, carpenters who work on a band saw with extraction system to catch the coarser dusts. Masons can also put them on before mixing cement with the trowel and stirring up some dust. FFP2
FFP2 masks are becoming more and more popular in the field of elderly and nursing care in corona times. They offer a certain level of protection against viruses, but should not be used in contact with highly infectious patients.
In view of the temporary shortage of hygiene material during the first corona wave in 2020, the Robert Koch Institute also admitted the use of FFP-2 masks in infection medicine if necessary. However, this was controversial among physicians. Meanwhile, there is no shortage of high-quality masks in such critical areas. FFP3
Only FFP-3 masks protect the wearer from droplet aerosols, protein molecules, viruses, bacteria, fungi and spores, and – when used correctly – even from highly dangerous dusts such as asbestos fibers.
For example, FFP3 masks are used when nurses and doctors come into contact with highly infectious patients. Then, in addition to the safety goggles, they also wear rubber gloves and disposable aprons or overalls.
If you want to protect yourself effectively, you need more than just the right mask. If it’s a mask, then it’s the right way