Can Surgical Masks Protect You Against Swine Flu?

With increasing reports of swine flu infecting areas around the world and the deaths that follow, people are taking strenuous measures to protect themselves. In response, more people are wearing surgical masks, but will they protect us?

In addition to people washing their hands more frequently and limiting their contact with others, surgical masks are being donned in record numbers in an attempt to prevent infection and the spread of the swine flu virus. In fact, reports indicate that surgical masks are flying off the shelves in response to the swine flu outbreak making it just a matter of time before we start hearing reports of shortages. But do surgical masks offer the kind of protection people are seeking as a defense against the swine flu? It wasn't long ago that people in Asia were wearing such masks in response to SARS, the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak that occurred in 2003. Practically every photo or TV image shown at that time had people wearing the protective masks. Since that time, studies have shown that diseases like SARS are so small that surgical masks are not effective enough to ward off such airborne particles. Despite that information, surgical mask production is not likely to slow down as consumers are likely to adopt the philosophy, "some protection is better than no protection". Indeed, such measures may find support by the fact that viruses sometimes attach themselves to larger molecules such as globs of mucus. And it's because of this increase in size that a filter might block them. So if you've ever reacted to bad odors or smoke by putting your T-shirt over your mouth and nose, it's not a bad idea as it will likely reduce what you breathe in. An N-95 respirator is a commonly used mask to protect against airborne particles. The number is a rating; it represents the percentage of filtering out unwanted particles. For example, particles can be measured in terms of "microns". A human hair is about 100 microns in diameter. The N-95 respirator can filter out particles down to that size 95 percent of the time if, and only if, the mask is fitted properly on the wearer's face. Not all masks are created equal either. Even two having the same rating may not result in the same level of protection. In comparison, wearing common masks that can be purchased off-the-shelf at the market or hardware store, are quite inadequate in their protection capabilities as they relate to fighting against disease. With that kind of information, it would seem wearing a mask has less to do with fighting disease and more with fighting fear and obtaining peace of mind. Given that Mexico is the point of origin for the swine flu, one can only hope that a disruption in supply won't occur. You see, Mexico is a prominent supplier of surgical masks to the United States. Having a few extra T-shirts on hand doesn't seem like such a bad idea after all.