Protecting staff against airborne viral particles: in vivo efficiency of laser masks

Surgical mask filter and fit performance

“…27,28 A surgical and laser mask showed similar fit factors of 3.0 (95% CI: 1.8-4.2) and 3.8 (95% CI: 2.9-4.6), much less than the fit factor of 102.6 (95% CI: 41.2-164) for a FFP2 respirator. 29 A recent study found a geometric mean fit factor of 2.6 (geometric SD, 1.6) for 6 surgical masks, using a TSI Portacount device with an N95 Companion. 30 There are few studies that compare the clinical efficacy of respirators versus surgical masks.…”

Exhaled Air Dispersion During Oxygen Delivery Via a Simple Oxygen Mask

“…In addition to maintaining contact, droplet, and standard precautions among the health-care workers when providing routine care to patients infected with H5N1 influenza, the World Health Organization recommends airborne precautions in health-care facilities including placing patients with suspected and confirmed H5N1 influenza in isolation rooms with at least 12 air exchanges per hour (if available) during aerosol-generating procedures due to the high lethality of the disease and the uncertainty about the mode of human-to-human transmission. 36 While other investigators have examined the filtration capacity of different surgical and N95 masks in protecting health-care workers from viral infection, [37][38][39] further studies are needed to examine the dispersion of exhaled air from common respiratory therapy devices in relation to the air exchange rate and airflow patterns on the medical ward in the control of airborne viral infections.…”

Airflow and droplet spreading around oxygen masks: A simulation model for infection control research

“…3,5,6,12,[17][18][19] Studies assessing the effectiveness of personal protective equipment, such as masks, have also been performed. 30 With influenza, the relative risk from airborne of contact transmission is still being hotly debated, and even existing infection control guidelines have been questioned in this regard. 16 The airborne route of influenza has been well documented, [31][32][33][34][35] so why do some guidelines still treat influenza as a short-range rather than a long-range airborne disease?…”