15. HEALTH TIPS. Various Types of face masks for Covid-19 protection.
1 Jan 2021 DISPOSABLE FACE MASKS 1. N95 respirators or equivalent - are the only face mask that can stop viral particles as small as 0.2 micron in diameter. The Covid-19 virus may be even smaller. They are regulated ones and fit very tightly to your face. The wearer finds it very hard to breathe and wear it for short periods of time, unless they can breathe through an attached tube. They are disposable. The most famous brand is 3M. 2. Non-medical N95 respirators are much cheaper and are varying in quality. Many can claim BFE (Bacterial Filtration Efficiency) of equal or more than 95%, but none can claim they can stop viral particles from airborne transmissions. 3. Surgical masks are usually 3-layered or 3-ply. The inner and outer layers enclose a centre filter layer. They are most popular with people as they are much cheaper than the non-medical N95 respirators. Few can filter particles as small as 0.2 micron in si...