Can Ordinary Masks Prevent Influenza? Which Type of Mask Works?
As the weather turns cooler, it’s once again the peak season for influenza. So, when going out daily, which type of mask should we wear to prevent influenza? Can ordinary masks prevent influenza?
Ordinary masks have little effect on preventing influenza. This is because influenza viruses are mainly transmitted through respiratory droplets, and ordinary masks are usually made of regular non-woven fabric or cotton gauze, which cannot effectively block bacteria or viruses.
1. Medical Protective Masks (N95)
They can filter particles in the air, block
contaminants such as respiratory droplets, blood, body fluids, and secretions,
and filter out more than 95% of non-oil-based particles.
2. Medical Surgical Masks
They can block blood and body fluids, with
a bacterial filtration efficiency of over 95%, but their particle filtration
efficiency is limited.
3. Ordinary Cotton Masks
They basically do not have the function of
preventing infectious diseases. They do not require blood-blocking performance
or airtightness, so they are only used for wearing in ordinary environments.
In general, in terms of filtration effect,
medical protective masks (N95) are the most effective, followed by medical
surgical masks, and then ordinary masks.
For preventing influenza, it is recommended
to wear medical surgical masks or higher-grade masks. When going to public
places and not in contact with patients, wearing a medical surgical mask is
sufficient. However, if you need to have close contact with patients, you must
wear a medical protective mask.
If you need to use this text for a poster
or leaflet, I can help you adjust it into a more concise English
version suitable for public promotion to make the key information more
eye-catching. Do you need this adjustment?
