N95 masks

Subject: Science and tech

Context:

In the case of infectious diseases like COVID-19, hospitals have to make sure that their patient-facing employees are safe by using Personal Protective Equipment, in particular, N95 mask.

Concept:

• An N95 respirator is a respiratory protective device designed to achieve a very close facial fit and very efficient filtration of airborne particles
• N95 mask named because it is able to block at least 95% of particles in the air that are of the size 0.3 microns or bigger (1 micron is a millionth of a metre).
• A single SARS-CoV2 virus is typically up to 0.2 microns in size, so it can possibly penetrate the N95 mask.
• Virus is enclosed in air droplets that are much bigger in size. Since droplets are getting spread which are a few microns in size, it is very unlikely that there are droplets that are less than 0.3 microns in size.
• So that way the N95 is a very good barrier to virus entry
• N:This is a Respirator Rating Letter Class. It stands for “Non-Oil” meaning that if no oil-based particulates are present, then it can be used in the work environment.
• Other masks ratings are R (resistant to oil for 8 hours) and P (oil proof).