In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, face masks have been an extremely important factor in everyday life. However, not all face masks are created equal. Before you purchase masks for your family, make sure that you are getting the quality that you really want. Below is a list of face masks that are on the market right now, along with how useful and effective they are.
Homemade Masks
Homemade masks can be useful and effective if they are made with a piece of thick quilting fabric. Unfortunately, most are not. In an effort to provide the most comfort, most people use only a single layer of comfortable cotton, which does not provide much filtration efficacy. If you know what you are doing, feel free to make your own mask. Just make sure that you are going for filtration and not style alone.
Bandanas and Neck Gaiters
Bandanas and gaiters are probably the least effective at protecting individuals from airborne pathogens. In fact, instead of filtering any particles from coming into an individual's nose and mouth, neck gaiters can actually spread someone's own output into smaller droplets, actually causing more harm than good.
Store-Bought Cloth and Surgical Masks
Many store-bought cloth masks offer multiple layers and thick fabric and are extremely useful for protecting people. While they are relatively inexpensive, surgical masks are also extremely effective and offer high-quality filtration. Some people seem to think that disposable masks are of lower quality than cloth masks, though the opposite is actually true. When worn correctly, they work just as well as a store-bought cloth mask.
N95 Face Masks
N95 masks are the ideal for personal protection when it comes to face masks. These masks are called N95 because the N stands for non-oil and the 95 is the percentage of filtration that it boasts. So in addition to protecting others from you spreading any droplets coming from you, 95% of droplets in the air will be filtered out of the air you are breathing. Currently, N95 masks are reserved for healthcare workers, since they are in short supply. However, manufacturers are trying to increase their numbers, so hopefully, they will be available to the general public shortly.
In conclusion, N95 masks offer a very high level of protection for both you and those around you. Before you purchase a whole bunch of low-quality cloth masks, make sure to look into locations near you where you can buy N95 masks.
Contact a company like HSM Med Supply to learn more.
Medical equipment and supplies are needed for a variety of reasons and many people rely on mobility aids to help them get from one place to another. We aren't medical professionals but we do understand the struggle that many people have with movement and that's why we've written this blog. We've done comprehensive research by reading literature, speaking with physical therapists and even interviewing people who currently use mobility aids.
It's our goal to inform everyone who relies on mobile equipment to learn all the options that are available. In this blog, you'll learn about several different types of mobility aids including wheelchairs and their optional features, walkers and mobility scooters. We hope this blog can help you or a loved one gain more independence with the assistance of the proper medical equipment and supplies.