Trust you all are fine and keeping up well in this crucial time of pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has remodeled life as we know it. Staying indoors, shunning people on the roads and altering daily habits, like going to school or work, all has changed in ways we never imagined. In these period alterations wherein we are replacing old behaviors with new routines, we need to be really adaptive. First and foremost is the practice of wearing a mask or covering the face in a public space or while interacting with someone.
In the early stage of pandemic, wearing an Anti Dust Face Mask was optional as obtained by the established perception that standard surgical masks, also known as medical masks, are inadequate to safeguard the wearer from many respiratory pathogens, as well as the apprehension about dissuading limited supplies from healthcare facilities.
Thanks to the diligent efforts of scientists everywhere, we have trodden years of explore on the COVID-19 virus into months that in return has led to a speedy progress of guidelines and suggestions. One of which is the mandate of wearing an Anti Dust Face Mask whenever we are stepping out of our homes or while interacting with another person.
With the increase in consumption of Anti Dust Face Mask the new varieties are also popping up in the market that includes:
• Surgical mask: It is the very basic mask that you must have seen doctors wearing in hospitals. Supremely, it doesn’t offer you with any safety against elements other than dust. It is the most affordable of all.
• Anti-Pollution Mask N95: The N series is till now the supreme selling masks and is the least that should be purchased to protect you. It is stated that N95 can sieve up to 95% of the harmful elements that tends to stay longer in the air and damage us more.
• Anti-Pollution Mask N99: Similar to N95, N99 can filter up to 99% of the harmful elements matter. That’s the super most defence we can obtain from N series Anti Dust Face Masks. The N Series don’t offer safety against oil-based pollutants.
• Anti-Pollution mask P95: The significant difference between P-series and N-series masks is that P-series offers safety against Oil based pollutants as well.
• Anti-Pollution mask R95: Specifically designed for industrial applications, The R-series mask is has the capacity of filtering up to 95% of the harmful elements as well as from oil-based contaminants. But the restriction to its daily maximum usage of 8 hours only and expensive cost makes them not optimal for daily usage.
The effectiveness of Anti Dust Face Mask varies on various factors that involves:
• Type of contaminants: Foremost and the most essential part would be Knowing the contaminant as in the type of contaminant we need to get safety against that majorly comprises of gases, infections, metals, etc.
• Specification of the mask: Each mask has its own specification that each mask may offer you so it’s better to know that your requirements and specification of the mask matches.
• Comfort level for usage: A comfortable and perfect fit of the mask is very vital as no matter how costly anti-pollution mask you buy, it won’t provide safety unless its appropriately sealed and fits comfortably to wear it for long stretch without creating suffocation for the wearer.
• Amount of bad air quality or smog levels: There are certain seasons and months especially in India wherein the smog in the air mounts making people to get frequent cold, headaches, cough infections, etc.
• Kind of Respirator: There are different kind of respirators in a mask that protects you from the bad air that includes cartridges, filters, canisters or a combination of filters and other two. Choose as per requirement.
Pro tip: Be sure to always check the rating of Anti Dust Face Mask before purchasing it.
Thus, the ‘unmasked’ fact is that Anti Dust Face Mask can also diminish the unfair effect of the pandemic, essentially for those who dwell in congested settings where physical distancing is tough, and for frontline workers who face a higher risk of exposure to the virus.
