Best Respirator Mask for Virus Protection Essential for COVID Spread
Initially, there was a significant shortage of air respirator masks for frontline workers, which was why authorities were reluctant to recommend mask-wearing to the general public. It is understandable that people may look back at this old advice and not know what to believe. I think we should trust the public health scientists and realize their recommendations may change as better data becomes available. People who disregarded emerging recommendations for safe practices in the early days of COVID did not fare as well as those who took precautions to protect themselves and their loved ones.
The coronavirus is primarily transmitted from person to person via respiratory spray. Staying away from people (social distancing) and decreasing the germs being transmitted between people are both ways to decrease the spread of the virus. While high-quality research regarding the best respirator mask for virus protection use is limited, all of the data supports mask-wearing as a key public health measure to decrease viral spread. The gold standard N-95 mask is 95% effective at keeping the wearer free of inhaling viral particles. These air respirator masks are still best reserved for front-line workers in high-risk settings where aerosols of viral particles occur. However even a 50% reduction in viral transmission is statistically important.
For the general public, the reason for wearing a facial covering is to help protect others from you when you cough, sneeze or even talk and spray viral droplets into the air. Many people who become infected can unknowingly spread the COVID-19 virus because they have few or no symptoms. So, wearing the best respirator mask for virus protection is showing respect for others and is your way of helping lessen the spread of the disease. It is important that the mask not be so thick as to make breathing through them completely uncomfortable. Filter inserts are probably not necessary and may make the masks more uncomfortable.
