WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION
GUIDANCE ON FACE MASKS
To download the World Health Organisation’s guidance on face masks, please click on the image below...
To save you having to study the entire 16-page document, here are the most interesting quotes from it that we’ve extracted for you (W.H.O page number in brackets)…
"Masks (are) part of a comprehensive package of prevention and control measures that can limit the spread of respiratory viral diseases, including Covid-19.“
“Masks can be… worn to protect oneself when in contact with an infected individual or worn by an infected individual to prevent onward transmission."
Our conclusion: Wearing masks helps to reduce the spread of viruses.
"Studies of influenza-like illness and Coronaviruses provide evidence that the use of a Medical Mask can prevent the spread of infectious droplets from a symptomatic infected person to someone else, and (can prevent) potential contamination of the environment.”
“Wearing a Medical Mask by healthy individuals in households… or among attendees of mass gatherings may be beneficial as a measure preventing transmission”.
“A recent meta-analysis… could be considered to be indirect evidence for the use of masks by healthy individuals in the wider community”.
“W.H.O has updated its guidance to advise that, to prevent Covid-19 transmission effectively in areas of community transmission, governments should encourage the general public to wear masks in specific situations.”
Our conclusion: We should all wear a mask in places where physical distancing is not possible, to protect ourselves & the people around us.
"The likely advantages of the use of masks by healthy people in the general public include:
- reduced potential exposure risk from infected persons before they develop symptoms;
- reduced potential stigmatisation of individuals wearing masks to prevent infecting others or of people caring for Covid-19 patients in non-clinical settings;
- making people feel they can play a role in contributing to stopping spread of the virus;
- reminding people to be compliant with other measures (e.g. hand hygiene, not touching nose & mouth)."
Our conclusion: Although masks pose some tiny risks for the public (self-contamination from touching face, muffled voice, causing litter if not thrown in bin), the advantages of wearing a mask by far outweigh the disadvantages.
"Filtering Face Piece Respirators (respirators) offer a balance of filtration and breathability”.
Surgical “medical masks filter 3 micrometre droplets, (but) respirators must filter more challenging 0.075 micrometre solid particles”.
“FFP2 (Respirators) filter at least 94% solid NaCl particles and oil droplets”.
“Certified FFP Respirators ensure unhindered breathing with maximum resistances during inhalation and exhalation”.
Surgical “medical mask filtration tests are performed on a cross-section of the mask, whereas respirators are tested for filtration across the entire surface.”.
The “filtration material and shape (of respirators) ensure a seal around wearer’s face, resulting in a guaranteed filtration, compared to the open shape or leaking structure of (surgical) medical masks”.
Other advantages of respirators compared to surgical masks include:
- lower CO2 build up
- less inward leakage
- higher tensile strength of straps
Our conclusion: Respirator masks (usually white) offer far superior protection from viruses than surgical medical masks (usually blue).
“A Filtering Face Piece (FFP) respirator mask:
- is certified to the PPE Directive.
- provides a high level of filtering capability & face fit.
- provides an effective barrier to both droplets and fine aerosols.”
“A Surgical mask:
- provides a physical barrier to large projected droplets.
- does not provide full respiratory protection against smaller suspended droplets & aerosols.
- is not regarded as Personal Protective Equipment under European Directive 89/686/EEC. “
The information above is quoted from a UK Health & Safety Executive guidance page titled:
“Pandemic Flu - Workplace Guidance”.
To see the entire webpage, please click on the image below:
