Antiviral Face Mask for Filtering Covid-19: Full Analysis of Nine Standards

As of April 28, 2020, Covid-19 has infected more than 3 million people and killed more than 200,000 people, very serious. Wearing an antiviral face mask is an effective means of protection against viruses, so what are antiviral face masks available?

 First of all, we need to fully understand what standards the masks have and the filtration performance of each standard. 

1 What is a labor protective mask? What are their characteristics? Comparison of the various standards.

Labor protective masks, also known as self-absorbing filtered particulate matter respirators. It is an important protection against pneumoconiosis and occupational diseases, as well as respiratory inhalation protection against harmful substances such as oxygen-deficient air and dust poisoning. There are three types of disposable masks, replaceable half masks, and full masks, as follows.

Disposable masks are lighter in weight and are generally single-use products; replaceable masks are heavier in weight and have replaceable filter elements in the inner layer. Labor protective masks are mainly used in construction, mining, foundry, woodworking, electronics, pharmaceuticals, material handling, and grinding operations to protect the dust generated.

The standard of labor protective masks is GB 2626-2006, the main performance of filtration efficiency, breathing resistance, expiratory valve, visual field, headband, etc. Of these, the most important filter efficiency performance is compared as follows.

The standards for labor protective masks generally refer to GB 2626-2006, EN 149, NIOSH Standards – Title 42 CFR Part 84. The most significant filter efficiency performance comparisons are as follows.

2 What are medical masks? What are their characteristics? Comparison of the various standards.

Medical masks are mostly made of one or more layers of non-woven composite fabric, the main production process includes melt spray, spunbond, hot air or needle puncture, etc. It has the effect of resisting liquids, filtering particles and bacteria, and is a medical protective textile. Medical masks can be divided into general medical masks, medical-surgical masks, medical protective masks.

Chinese standards:

EU and USA standards:

Note: [Unspecified], means that the absence of a direct reference to this indicator in the corresponding criterion does not imply a complete lack of protective capacity in this case.

3 What is a disposable protective mask? What is the characteristic?

In daily life, various suspended particulate matter in the atmosphere can affect people’s health, especially in places with high air pollution, we need to wear face masks that can filter particulate matter. Since Europe and the United States do not have the habit of wearing a mask in ordinary life, there is no relevant standard, therefore, only the Chinese standard GB 32610 here.

Bacterial filtration and particulate filtration for different standard antiviral face masks

As can be seen from the table, medical masks are mainly used to filter bacteria and do not have mandatory requirements for particulate matter. Labor protective masks and daily protective masks are primarily used to filter particulate matter and there is no mandatory requirement for bacterial filtration.

 

 So, what kind of face masks can filter out viruses exactly? What are the dos and don’ts of wearing an antiviral face mask? 

1 What is the difference between medical masks and non-medical protective masks?

Due to the peculiarities of the medical environment, when medical personnel operates on patients, it is necessary to prevent bacteria from infecting the patient and also to prevent the spilling of bodily fluids from the patient. Medical masks need to meet the following three conditions, filter bacteria, prevent blood spatter, and cannot have a breathing valve. These three conditions are not directly related to antiviral.

2 Why can anti-particle masks be used to antiviral? Is it mandatory to use a medical mask for protection 2019-nCoV?

It must be understood that viruses cannot exist in air species alone and that pathogenic microorganisms in the air (such as pathogens or viruses) are also particulate matter, which can be filtered by particulate matter filter material. Studies have shown that particles of 0.3um diameter are the most difficult to capture, so particulate matter filtration tests are all about selecting particles of 0.3um diameter.

If protection from bodily fluids or blood splashes is not required, just protection from the presence of influenza virus, infectious droplets, or other harmful particulate matter in the air, the use of non-medical protective masks is sufficient.

3 Medical masks have no particulate matter filtration efficiency, how do they antiviral?

In contrast to non-medical protective masks, medical masks do not specify particulate filtration, e.g. medical standard YY/T 0969, EN 14683, ASTM F2100, but these standards have been shown to be effective against viruses because bacteria are also particulates. If it can filter out bacteria and therefore particulates, but the exact relationship between them has yet to be demonstrated.

4 Can a breath valve antiviral?

For the 2019-nCoV, a face mask with a respiratory valve is not to be worn. The reason for this is that while wearing a filtered mask with a breath valve can prevent others from infecting us, but we can’t be sure we’re not infected, and antiviral face masks that don’t use a breath valve are meant to prevent us from infecting others.

5 Filtration does not kill the virus

The purpose of the antiviral face mask is to filter out the tiny particles of air that may be attached to the virus; filtering is not the same as killing. The antiviral face mask simply keeps the virus out, preventing it from getting inside, and the surface of the antiviral face mask can still hold the virus. Therefore, try not to touch the outer layer of the mouthpiece with your hands, and if you do, you need to wash your hands.

6 How to choose an antiviral face mask?

If it’s just to antiviral, choose a face mask that can filter the particles. The 9 standard masks given in this paper can effectively antiviral virus. But remember that you shouldn’t choose ordinary cotton masks or privacy protection masks worn by movie stars or sport starts. These masks are mainly for beauty and can’t effectively antiviral.