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"You can't board the plane with these masks." This is what an American couple was told when they were about to board a midsummer flight from Rome Fiumicino Airport to Munich. It seems that their surgical masks are not popular in Bavaria.
They were told that only FFP2 masks can do it, and this applies to passengers on inbound flights. Panic spread across their faces, but the airport's vending machine solved the problem and everything ended in a pleasant way, but it was shocking.
It seems that travel is not enough for minefields. Different vaccination requirements, pre-flight PCR testing, isolation barriers, sudden lockdowns, and now these. It turns out that European requirements for wearing masks will make you dizzy.
Some jurisdictions require masks to be worn indoors, some require masks outdoors, some require masks in places with more than 100 people, some do not, and others require some type of mask, such as Bavaria. In nearby Austria, FFP2 masks are required for public transportation, cable cars, supermarkets, pharmacies, gas stations and banks. So what exactly is an FFP2 mask?
All these masks are similar. All products are made of multi-layer synthetic materials, but have been certified according to different national standards. The FFP standard is an EU certification, N95 is an American standard, and KN95 is a Chinese standard.
N95 masks are so named because they can filter at least 95% of particles as small as 0.3 microns, and one micron is one millionth of a meter. COVID-19 is mainly spread by large respiratory droplets, at least 5 microns.
According to some studies in the United States, N95 masks are more breathable than KN95 masks and therefore more comfortable, but please note that most N95 masks are also made in China. In a study conducted by 3M's personal security department, it was found that the filtration performance of FFP2 masks was at least 94%. The same study found that the flow rate of the FFP2 mask was slightly higher than that of the N95 mask, which made breathing easier, and the amount of inward leakage measured in exercise subjects was the same for both masks.
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Such masks are usually sold in the form of P2 masks in Australia. Some have a valve to make breathing easier, but the protection only works in one direction. The mask will protect the wearer, but the valve allows the virus particles to escape. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not recommend wearing such masks. American Airlines prohibits wearing such masks because American Airlines requires masks to be worn at all times on airplanes.
These masks are only effective when they fit tightly. Facial hair will increase the leakage coefficient. Makes sense, doesn't it? Like a standard diving mask, or my swimming goggles when my eyebrows bulge, the bearded guy has a problem.
They may look fragile, but those blue and white surgical masks do a good job. After all, they are the clothes that surgeons usually wear in the operating room. According to the Open Access Medical Journal published by the American Medical Association, “Although the filtration efficiency of surgical masks is lower than that of N95 masks, observational studies have shown that N95 masks are not significantly better than surgical masks in preventing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus. Advantage."
The National Center for Biotechnology Information disagreed. He said: “On average, the protection factor of FFP respirators is 12 to 16 times that of surgical masks, although the fit with the wearer’s face is the most important factor. Their effectiveness Sexuality.” The Australian Department of Health stated that surgical masks can be used for up to four hours as long as they are not wet or damaged.
The "99" after "N" tells you that these masks filter out at least 99% of the virus particles. These are the pinnacles of disposable mask technology. Even highly infectious pathogens can provide protection. Therefore, they are recommended for caregivers handling COVID-19 patients. To be fully effective, they need to fit snugly, which is best left to the experts.
There is a downside. It will be uncomfortable to wear for a long time. Nursing staff have experienced skin injuries and pressure sores. For travelers, there is no real reason to choose these instead of N95 masks.
No. What are the options-stay on the couch and watch other people's adventures? Travel has become unknown, and the fearful businessman is singing the song of doom, but I did not listen. What if Magellan, Cook, or the first human being out of Africa is frightened by the unknown? As for the masks, I might add a pack of N95/P2 respirators to my travel bag just in case—$2-4 per mask is the current price—but I have already left.
See also: International travel is back: everything you need to know
See also: PCR: What you need to know about mandatory COVID testing for travelers