Will Masks Help During a Flu Pandemic



Will Masks Help During a Flu Pandemic?

You may remember photos of people in Asia wearing masks to avoid SARS a few years ago, or maybe you have seen photos from the 1918-1919 Spanish flu pandemic showing people in masks.

What benefit do masks provide and should you buy them? If so, what kind and when should you wear them?

There are two masks to know about: ear loop masks and N95 masks. An ear loop mask, or surgical mask, fits loosely on the face. It catches droplets when the wearer coughs or sneezes. Otherwise, these droplets can fly out three to six feet and infect another person. Healthcare workers also wear masks to protect themselves from their patient’s respiratory droplets. Patients who are coughing and sneezing must wear a mask.

The N95 mask fits tightly to the face and does not allow any airflow around the edges. For an N95 mask to be effective, you test it to make sure it fits tightly enough so no air can get in around it. Beards interfere with a proper fit. These are uncomfortable and can make breathing difficult. It is hard to wear one for very long. It protects the wearer better because it has tinier holes to let the air through. Healthcare workers wear these when caring for patients who have infectious diseases that are spread through the air. N95 masks filter out very small particles, but they do not catch viruses which are very, very small.

There is no scientific evidence that says masks helped during the 1918 flu pandemic, and masks have not been tested for their ability to protect against flu viruses. There are currently no recommendations for mask use by the general public during a pandemic, but that may change as new information becomes available.

There are current recommendations for healthcare workers to wear N95 masks when providing specialized care, such as airway management, to patients with known infections like TB. Also, some experts say that having a flu patient wear an ear loop mask when the caregiver is in the room could be beneficial if the patient is coughing or sneezing.

There are no recommendations for masks to be used in public during a pandemic, but there are none against them either! It is your choice whether to include protective masks in your emergency kit or not. For more information, visit .

Rhiannon Brewer is the public relations and information specialist for the Northeast Health District and can be reached at rcbrewer@dhr.state.ga.us.

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