WellBefore's Respokare N95 surgical mask, $3.49 each

One year has passed since the global COVID-19 pandemic, and many people are still confused about wearing the best mask to ensure safety. Part of the reason is that this issue has proven to be controversial.

Early information from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) was full of conflicting recommendations. As of March 2021, the expert's recommendations seem to be inconsistent with government regulations and company policies. It is completely understandable that a layman, even a careful person, may be confused about the best personal protective equipment (PPE) equipment to wear, whether their mask is still the best they can wear, and even where You can buy better masks.

Below are details on choosing the right type of mask, where to buy legal products at a reasonable price, and the latest expert advice on staying as safe as possible.

In short, the best mask is the one with the highest particle filtration rate. Among the popular masks, these masks are from the most effective to the most ineffective:

Considered to be the gold standard of safety in the United States, the N95 mask approved by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is the preferred protection for health care and other frontline workers across the country. The "95" in their names stems from the fact that when worn correctly, they can block 95% of particles. 

WellBefore's Respokare N95 surgical mask, $3.49 each

NIOSH is a department within the CDC responsible for monitoring a wide range of occupational health hazards. In order to obtain NIOSH’s seal of approval for N95 masks, companies must go through a rigorous, months-long process that includes careful study of their equipment, quality control processes, and visits to their manufacturing facilities (during the pandemic, some of them The manufacturer interviewed by SFGATE stated that the tour was virtual).

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of counterfeit N95 masks has surged, and they are usually sold at an alarming price increase. Read more about identifying counterfeit N95 masks here.

Similar to N95 in the United States, KN95 is the Chinese government's certification for masks, and theoretically can block 95% of particulate matter. However, in practice, KN95 masks often fail to achieve the same quality level as N95 masks. In other words, their ranking is slightly lower than N95 masks, but still higher than surgical masks, and much higher than cloth masks.

The CDC maintains a white list of manufacturers whose masks will pass the N95 test (although this is different from the certification provided by NIOSH). If you plan to buy KN95 masks, it is worth checking the list of mask manufacturers in the shopping cart.

KN95 mask – WellBefore individually packaged, $1.99 each

Disposable medical masks and surgical masks are lower than N95 and KN95 masks in terms of filtration, but higher than cloth masks. They are usually three layers, with three layers of different materials. The most effective surgical masks are made of non-woven fabrics and meltblown fabrics, which are for one-time use only and can be purchased in bulk.

Disposable masks, packs of 50, are priced at $13.99 on Amazon.

Three-layer disposable masks or surgical masks are an important part of double-layer masks. According to the latest research, this is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself. Putting a close-fitting cloth mask on a 3-layer surgical mask can form a seal that is almost as effective as N95, and can block 95% of particles when exhaled in a laboratory environment.

If you cannot purchase N95 or KN95 masks, please pair surgical masks with cloth masks to protect yourself.

Masks that claim to be "anti-virus" have physical properties that make it more difficult for viruses to survive on the surface of the mask. The idea is that it reduces the possibility of the virus spreading from the object to your hands, then to the mask and then to your respiratory tract.

It is worth noting that the virus must enter your body through your eyes, mouth or nose to infect you. Scientists don't believe that you can get COVID-19 by touching something, because the virus cannot pass through your skin and enter your blood.

The June 2020 report seems to indicate that the "anti-virus" properties are not particularly effective. If possible, it is best to wear N95, KN95 or double-layer masks.

Although there are differences between the US N95 certification and the Chinese KN95 certification, the fact is that the vast majority of both are made in China.

One exception is the manufacturer 3M, which kept most of its production in the United States during the pandemic. Two different types of 3M N95 masks are shown below, both of which are relatively affordable.

3M 8210 N95 respirator mask on WellBefore.com, $2.99 ​​each

3M Aura Particulate N95 Respirator 9205 on Wellbefore.com, $3.25 each

In the early days of the pandemic, filter bags were very popular among masks, when cloth masks were the most popular form of protection. Since then, the recommended level of cloth masks has been lower than that of N95, KN95, and three-layer surgical masks, unless they are used as an additional component of double masks.

Although insert filters are certainly not harmful, there is not much evidence that they are particularly effective, especially when compared to N95, KN95 and surgical masks.

Safe Mate cloth mask with filter bag (including 6 filters), Amazon price 28.00 US dollars

Thank goodness, yes. Cloth masks are most likely to have interesting and cute designs, but they themselves are the least effective masks. However, when used in combination with surgical masks or worn on the N95 in combination with a double-sided mask, they can provide the wearer with the recommended level of protection.

Read more about the most interesting masks on the internet, or learn how to make your own custom masks. Please make sure you remember to wear a double mask to be as safe as possible.

No masks can guarantee the prevention of the spread of COVID-19 or any other diseases, nor can they replace social distancing and isolation. Please take precautions when buying masks or traveling during the epidemic.

Joshua Sargent is the senior news editor of the Hearst Newspapers Department of Commerce. His works involve music, film and television, public health and cast iron pots. He can also play the guitar solo in Steely Dan's "Kid Charlemagne", which is almost completely correct, and he lives in Brooklyn with a cat. Email him at josh.sargent@hearst.com.