Tricks to know if the mask is effective against omicron

Faced with this, the use of a mask is the best weapon to stop the incessant advance of the coronavirus pandemic: "Omicron moves faster and more extensively than any variant of SARS-CoV-2 that we have seen previously. Therefore, I urge these countries to mandate the use of high-quality masks indoors and indoors, and to ensure that vulnerable people have access to them," said the regional director of the WHO in Europe.

Which is the most effective mask?

Claire Judith Horwell, Professor of Geohealth in the Department of Earth Sciences and the Institute for Hazards, Risks and Resilience at Durha University, has assured in a Twitter thread that it should be a "priority" to increase the use of FFP2 masks. Because not all masks protect correctly against the coronavirus, in addition to the fact that surgical masks have low protection.

Professor Horwell assures that high-quality masks are not the most common and stresses the importance of the presence of a moldable clip that helps to adjust the mask to the face: "The masks pass the tests because they filter well and capture particles and aerosols, and they're all great at doing this, but the actual effectiveness of your mask also depends on it sealing your face well."

In addition, the professor has also outlined the possibility of trying several masks to find one that fits well and does not let air out through the edges of the mask: "Air should only enter and exit through the fabric of the mask. mask, through the filter. Facial hair also gets in the way of a seal." This also means that if the glasses, whether sunglasses or vision, fog up, the mask would not be good either because aerosols are expelled above the upper closure.

The world is on the brink, but I had a delicious vegan meal of a cheeseburger and oreo shake for lunch and I figure… https https://t.co/jB3DpLDrNZ

— Jon 💩🚽 Tue Oct 20 20:48:56 +0000 2020

Form and use of the mask

On the type of mask, Claire Judith Horwells explains that bi-fold masks (with a vertical fold down the center) are not the most appropriate because of the closure over the nose: "The nose clip is bent in the middle. When putting on a mask, you should mold the clip to your nose, not pinch it, otherwise air will leak around the bridge of your nose."

The professor at Durha University explains that there are other shapes of masks on the market and "I really like 'boat-shaped' masks because they adapt very well to different face shapes and I find them very comfortable". She's not a big fan of ear-hook masks because they "rarely provide enough tension (without hurting the ears) to get a good seal." However, "a great mask can also have foam around the edge, to make a really good and comfortable face seal, especially around the nose."

"None of the masks I've shown have a valve on the front or side (image below, for reference). These valves are designed to improve comfort. They let out a portion of your breath without leak, so they provide insufficient protection against covid," said Professor Claire Judith Horwell.

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