Everything you need to know about N95 Masks
As COVID-19 spreads around the world and cases continue to increase, there are multiple aspects of the worldwide pandemic to pay attention to. From knowing the difference between an epidemic and a pandemic, the signs and symptoms of COVID-19, and what hospital workers need in order to help save patients, there are a lot of new terms to learn. You’ve heard that hospitals need more ventilators, N95 respirators, and surgical masks, but what does N95 stand for?
What’s an N95 respirator?
First of all, it’s important to note what these masks are. According to the Food and Drug Administration, an N95 respirator is “a respiratory protective device designed to achieve a very close facial fit and very efficient filtration of airborne particles.”
A surgical N95 respirator, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “is a NIOSH-approved N95 respirator that has also been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a surgical mask.”
What does N95 stand for?
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), there are different types of disposable particle respirators and an N95 respirator falls into that category. But what is a disposable particle respirator?
According to the CDC, “Particulate respirators are also known as ‘air-purifying respirators’ because they protect by filtering particles out of the air as you breathe. These respirators protect only against particles—not gases or vapors. Since airborne biological agents such as bacteria or viruses are particles, they can be filtered by particulate respirators.”
There are two separate factors in classifying a disposable particle respirator: how the mask filters air and how resistant the mask is to oil.
The different ratings in place for respirators indicate how well the mask would protect against oils and are rated as N, R, or P.
N: This is a Respirator Rating Letter Class. It stands for “Non-Oil” meaning that if no oil-based particulates are present, then you can use the mask in the work environment. Other masks ratings are R (resistant to oil for 8 hours) and P (oil proof).
95: Masks ending in a 95, have a 95 percent efficiency. Masks ending in a 99 have a 99 percent efficiency. Masks ending in 100 are 99.97 percent efficient and that is the same as a HEPA quality filter.
.3 microns: The masks filter out contaminants like dusts, mists and fumes. The minimum size of .3 microns of particulates and large droplets won’t pass through the barrier, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.)
Material: The filtration material on the mask is an electrostatic non-woven polypropylene fiber.
Valve: Some disposable N95 masks come with an optional exhalation valve. “The presence of an exhalation valve reduces exhalation resistance, which makes it easier to breathe (exhale,)” according to the CDC.
Who should use an N95 respirator?
At this point in time, more people are wearing masks to stop the spread of COVID-19 to other people. But who should be the ones wearing this mask? According to the World Health Organization, there are a few circumstances in which you should wear a mask, including if you’re sneezing or coughing or if you’re well but taking care of someone who potentially has COVID-19. However, there’s no extra health benefit for the public to wear an N95 respirator and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not recommend that “the general public wear N95 respirators to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including coronavirus (COVID-19).”
The differences between N95 and surgeon masks
The FDA regulates surgical masks and N95 respirators differently based on their intended use.
A surgical mask is a loose-fitting, disposable device that creates a physical barrier between the mouth and nose of the wearer and potential contaminants in the immediate environment. These are often referred to as face masks, although not all face masks are regulated as surgical masks. Note that the edges of the mask are not designed to form a seal around the nose and mouth.
An N95 respirator is a respiratory protective device designed to achieve a very close facial fit and very efficient filtration of airborne particles. Note that the edges of the respirator are designed to form a seal around the nose and mouth. Surgical N95 Respirators are commonly used in healthcare settings and are a subset of N95 Filtering Face piece Respirators (FFRs), often referred to as N95s.
The similarities among surgical masks and surgical N95s are:
- They are tested for fluid resistance, filtration efficiency (particulate filtration efficiency and bacterial filtration efficiency), flammability and biocompatibility.
- They should not be shared or reused.
General N95 Respirator Precautions
People with chronic respiratory, cardiac, or other medical conditions that make breathing difficult should check with their health care provider before using an N95 respirator because the N95 respirator can make it more difficult for the wearer to breathe. Some models have exhalation valves that can make breathing out easier and help reduce heat build-up. Note that N95 respirators with exhalation valves should not be used when sterile conditions are needed.
All FDA-cleared N95 respirators are labeled as “single-use,” disposable devices. If your respirator is damaged or soiled, or if breathing becomes difficult, you should remove the respirator, discard it properly, and replace it with a new one. To safely discard your N95 respirator, place it in a plastic bag and put it in the trash. Wash your hands after handling the used respirator.
N95 respirators are not designed for children or people with facial hair. Because a proper fit cannot be achieved on children and people with facial hair, the N95 respirator may not provide full protection.
Where else N95 Respirators are used?
It is majorly used in Industrial and Health Care Settings.
Most N95 respirators are manufactured for use in construction and other industrial type jobs that expose workers to dust and small particles. They are regulated by the National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) in the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
However, some N95 respirators are intended for use in a health care setting. Specifically, single-use, disposable respiratory protective devices used and worn by health care personnel during procedures to protect both the patient and health care personnel from the transfer of microorganisms, body fluids, and particulate material. These surgical N95 respirators are class II devices regulated by the FDA, under 21 CFR 878.4040, and CDC NIOSH under 42 CFR Part 84.
