Even as governments debate whether to impose mask regulations due to the fluctuating number of Covid-19 cases, health authorities and researchers still advise wearing a face mask for personal protection against the virus.
Dr. Tom Frieden, a pioneer in global health and an expert in epidemiology, advised anyone who are concerned about contracting the Covid-19 virus when among people who are not using masks to upgrade to a N95.
“Think considering upgrading to a N95 if you’re indoors with people who aren’t wearing masks and you’re worried that you might catch Covid (whether you’re medically vulnerable or not). If everyone wears a cloth or surgical mask to protect themselves, Dr. Tom Frieden advises that a closely fitting N95 is significantly more effective.
It was revealed earlier this month that scientists had created a brand-new N95 face mask that might perhaps slow the transmission of Covid-19 and, upon contact, kill the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Additionally, the researchers said the mask is eco-friendly because it may be worn for a longer period of time, resulting in less plastic waste since it won’t need to be changed as frequently.
According to Edmund Palermo of the American Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, “We believe that the research represents a first step toward more durable, self-sterilizing personal protection equipment, like the N95 respirator. In general, it might lessen the spread of airborne infections.
” The team successfully grafted broad-spectrum antimicrobial polymers onto the polypropylene filters used in N95 face masks, according to research just published in the journal Applied ACS Materials and Interfaces.
According to the researchers, the active filtering layers of N95 masks are extremely vulnerable to chemical alteration.
Researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US were part of the team that attached UV-initiated grafting is used to attach antimicrobial quaternary ammonium polymers to the fibre surfaces of nonwoven polypropylene textiles.
The team did observe a decrease in filtration efficiency when the process was applied directly to the filtration layer of N95 masks, but the solution is simple.
The researchers have stated that the process can be applied to already manufactured polypropylene filters rather than necessitating the development of new ones. Can face masks help contain the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) virus’s spread? Yes.
Face masks can help stop the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 in addition to other protective measures including vaccination, frequent hand washing, and physical separation.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States advise people to wear masks. Whether or not you have received the COVID-19 vaccine, the CDC advises wearing a well-fitted mask inside in public if you live in an area where there are a lot of COVID-19 patients in hospitals and new COVID-19 cases.
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