Walk around any crowded area during flu season and you’ll see a common sight: people wearing medical face masks to protect themselves from pollution, germs and other contaminants. With the outbreak ofa new coronavirus, these face masks are flying off the shelves in almost every drugstore. But do they really work?
Although disposable face masks block large particles from entering your mouth, a more tight-fitting N95 respirator mask is far more effective at protecting you from airborne illnesses. Though the risk of contracting coronavirus in the US and other western countries is very small, if you really want to prevent viral infections, your best bet is take all of the precautions you can — including frequent hand washing and avoiding other sick people.
As of January 31, 2020, both face masks and N95 respirator masks are hard to find online, especially on Amazon and Walmart.com. Many options are either sold out, or are sold by third-party sellers for steep prices. You might have better luck heading to your local drugstore for surgical face masks and your local hardware store for N95 masks.
Face mask vs. respirator
This NIOSH-approved N95 respirator will prevent airborne particles from entering.
Ardec
If you’ve ever been to the dentist, surgical face masks will look familiar — healthcare professionals use them to prevent the splashing of fluids into their mouths. They’re loose-fitting and allow airborne particles in. People commonly wear face masks in East Asian countries to protect themselves from smog and respiratory diseases, but these masks aren’t designed to block tiny particles from the air.
A face mask’s main purpose is to keep out the liquid of another infected person’s sneeze or cough from entering your mouth or nose (gross, I know). Wearing one can protect you from getting sick if you’re in close contact with someone who is ill and also help prevent you from spreading your illness to someone else. Face masks can also help prevent hand-to-mouth viral transmissions, because you can’t directly touch your own mouth while wearing one. However, virologists say that surgical face masks cannot block airborne viruses from entering your body.
For that you’ll need a respirator, a tight-fitting protective device worn around the face. When people say “respirator”, they’re usually referring to the N95 respirator. The N95 respirator gets its name from the fact that it blocks at least 95% of tiny particles. Several brands manufacture N95 respirators, and they come in all different sizes. When shopping for this kind of mask, be sure the packaging says “N95” — some masks will only say “respirator” but if they aren’t marked as N95, you won’t get the full level of protection.
Dr. Michael Hall, a CDC vaccine provider, tells CNET in an email that N95 respirators are the most protective, but that surgical masks can be worn when taking public transport or entering crowded areas to help protect you from other people’s coughs and sneezes.
N95 masks are tricky to put on, so make sure you watch a video or check out a guide on how to fit one to your face. Hall says that the key is to wear the mask firmly around your nose and mouth without any gaps. And once it’s on, leave it on — a respirator that’s only worn sometimes isn’t nearly as effective.
Do respirators actually prevent viral infections?
The answer to this is yes, but the exact effect is difficult to define. Studies have shown that they’re highly effective in preventing viral illnesses, but only in people that actually wore the masks correctly, which is rare.
N95 masks are difficult to put on for people who aren’t medical professionals. If you’ve put the mask on right, it gets hot and stuffy, so a lot of people take it off before it can do any good.
Another study showed that respiratory masks are helpful in preventing viral infections, but only when combined with frequent handwashing.
The bottom line? A government-approved N95 mask can lower your chance of viral illness, but only if you use it correctly. Plus, you should still continue other common-sense preventative measures, like washing your hands frequently, not touching your mouth or nose and avoiding other sick people.
If you don’t have access to an N95 mask, a surgical face mask will suffice. Though, as noted, you’ll get less protection from airborne viruses if you wear a face mask. Hall says that wrapping a scarf or other cotton fiber around your nose and mouth can also work in a bind.
Do respirators protect against the new coronavirus?
The new coronavirus is officially called 2019-nCoV, and it’s part of a group of coronaviruses that includes both the common cold and the deadly SARS. The novel virus is spread through coughing, sneezing or contact with a sick person.
So, the same logic still holds — a respirator, if worn correctly and combined with other virus-prevention methods, can help lower the risk that you catch the disease.
The CDC only recommends that people wear face masks or respirators if they’re travelling in China or have already contracted the virus. However, if you’re in a place where coronavirus is present, or are especially concerned about the disease for another reason, a respirator can’t hurt.
How to buy a respirator
Hall tells CNET that N95 masks are difficult to find, because many brands have left the market. However, if you live near a store like CVS, Target or Walmart you may be able to pick one up. The key is to make sure the mask is approved by NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.)
The CDC’s website has a comprehensive list of all the NIOSH-approved N95 masks, which you can use to cross-check any mask before you buy it. These masks filter out at least 95% of airborne particles, so again, if you wear them correctly they’re fairly effective.
If you’d prefer to go the face mask route, those are easy to find. Just Google “face masks near me” — most drugstores should stock them. Make sure to look at the product details to make sure it’s FDA-approved — there are a lot of face masks on the market that haven’t been cleared by the FDA.
HALIFAX – The Nova Scotia government says it could be months before it reveals how many people are on the wait-list for a family doctor.
The head of the province’s health authority told reporters Wednesday that the government won’t release updated data until the 160,000 people who were on the wait-list in June are contacted to verify whether they still need primary care.
Karen Oldfield said Nova Scotia Health is working on validating the primary care wait-list data before posting new numbers, and that work may take a matter of months. The most recent public wait-list figures are from June 1, when 160,234 people, or about 16 per cent of the population, were on it.
“It’s going to take time to make 160,000 calls,” Oldfield said. “We are not talking weeks, we are talking months.”
The interim CEO and president of Nova Scotia Health said people on the list are being asked where they live, whether they still need a family doctor, and to give an update on their health.
A spokesperson with the province’s Health Department says the government and its health authority are “working hard” to turn the wait-list registry into a useful tool, adding that the data will be shared once it is validated.
Nova Scotia’s NDP are calling on Premier Tim Houston to immediately release statistics on how many people are looking for a family doctor. On Tuesday, the NDP introduced a bill that would require the health minister to make the number public every month.
“It is unacceptable for the list to be more than three months out of date,” NDP Leader Claudia Chender said Tuesday.
Chender said releasing this data regularly is vital so Nova Scotians can track the government’s progress on its main 2021 campaign promise: fixing health care.
The number of people in need of a family doctor has more than doubled between the 2021 summer election campaign and June 2024. Since September 2021 about 300 doctors have been added to the provincial health system, the Health Department said.
“We’ll know if Tim Houston is keeping his 2021 election promise to fix health care when Nova Scotians are attached to primary care,” Chender said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.
ST. JOHN’S, N.L. – Newfoundland and Labrador‘s chief medical officer is monitoring the rise of whooping cough infections across the province as cases of the highly contagious disease continue to grow across Canada.
Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says that so far this year, the province has recorded 230 confirmed cases of the vaccine-preventable respiratory tract infection, also known as pertussis.
Late last month, Quebec reported more than 11,000 cases during the same time period, while Ontario counted 470 cases, well above the five-year average of 98. In Quebec, the majority of patients are between the ages of 10 and 14.
Meanwhile, New Brunswick has declared a whooping cough outbreak across the province. A total of 141 cases were reported by last month, exceeding the five-year average of 34.
The disease can lead to severe complications among vulnerable populations including infants, who are at the highest risk of suffering from complications like pneumonia and seizures. Symptoms may start with a runny nose, mild fever and cough, then progress to severe coughing accompanied by a distinctive “whooping” sound during inhalation.
“The public, especially pregnant people and those in close contact with infants, are encouraged to be aware of symptoms related to pertussis and to ensure vaccinations are up to date,” Newfoundland and Labrador’s Health Department said in a statement.
Whooping cough can be treated with antibiotics, but vaccination is the most effective way to control the spread of the disease. As a result, the province has expanded immunization efforts this school year. While booster doses are already offered in Grade 9, the vaccine is now being offered to Grade 8 students as well.
Public health officials say whooping cough is a cyclical disease that increases every two to five or six years.
Meanwhile, New Brunswick’s acting chief medical officer of health expects the current case count to get worse before tapering off.
A rise in whooping cough cases has also been reported in the United States and elsewhere. The Pan American Health Organization issued an alert in July encouraging countries to ramp up their surveillance and vaccination coverage.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 10, 2024.
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