Do Face Masks help Control Swine Flu Virus Transmission?

Passengers arrive from Mexico via Vancouver, Canada at Narita International Airport today in Narita, Japan.

All those masks are not equal.  Some will protect you from the Swine Flu and others will not.  Many people in Mexico City as well as travelers from Mexico have been seen wearing mask that cover the mouth and nose, two of the three areas where Swine Flu can enter the body. 

Most were wearing the blue surgical  masks, which are loose-fitting and designed largely to help stop droplets from spreading from the person wearing the mask. They also protect the wearer's mouth and nose from splashes onto the mask.  A second type is the inexpensive dust mask, usually white which protects the wearer from larger particles but not the very small particles usually associated with flu.  Neither the blue surgical nor the inexpensive white dust mask provides protection against transmission of virus.

N95 Mask or respirators, note the labeling on the right side of the mask

A mask that is satisfactory is the N95 mask which may be found at www.Amazon.com  , at Lowe's, Home Depot, and may other stores.  CDC has recommended the use of this type of mask as respiratory protection for airborne disease, such as tuberculosis, SARS, and Swine Flu.  Buying the mask individual is currently about $3.00 a piece, $4.00 for two, and $20.00 plus tax for 20. This mask fits more snugly on the face so that most air is breathed through the filter material.  Be sure to pinch the metal band across the nose after you have put it on to seal it.. 

N100 Respirator

These respirators meet NIOSH P100 requirements and have a minimum filter efficiency of 99.97%.  A current price is about $8.00 a piece.  These are more effective than the N95 mask and are more difficult to find.

If used correctly, masks and -- more likely -- respirators may indeed reduce the risk of getting influenza, according to information released from the CDC. But for people who live in areas with confirmed cases, there is no single action that will provide complete protection. It simply isn't practical to wear a mask all the time, and they are not 100% foolproof.

Face masks and respirators are most useful for people who are in crowded settings, such as classrooms or airplanes, where they will protect the mouth and nose from germs and reduce the likelihood of coughing or sneezing on other people.

Face masks and respirators are sometimes recommended for people who are in close contact with an infected person. "Close contact" is defined as three feet or less by the World Health Organization and six feet or less by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Face masks and respirators should be worn only once and safely trashed.  Health experts note that face masks and respirators should be used along with other precautions, such as frequent hand-washing, covering coughs, and staying at home if ill and avoiding crowds.