In absence of an N95, in your view, if one were to combine a surgical mask with a cloth mask, would one get a reasonably good fit? We did this study that’s still in peer review, so it hasn’t passed peer review yet, but we did some experiments. What we found is that it can be quite effective. we mean, we’re not talking N95 levels of protection, but it can be quite effective at boosting protection.
Surgical masks tend to have a poor fit, but good filtration. So, if you pick a cloth mask to put over your surgical mask, that has a very good fit, maybe something that’s elastic and stretchy, although elastic materials tend not to have very good filtration. But what you’re essentially then getting is an external device that will help hold the mask to your face. Unfortunately, again, and this is from data that is preliminary, we tested the difference between (those) devices whose goal is to move the mask farther away from your mouth,
which is more comfortable versus bringing the mask closer to your mouth. And moving the mask further away from your mouth seems to be more likely to make the mask have a poor fit. Whereas if you move the mask closer to your mouth it tends to have much-improved performance. In India, N95s are quite easily available to anyone. It’s kind of expensive for the average man on the street because a good brand N95 is about Rs 66 or roughly 65 pence.
Life has gotten so much more complicated with COVID-19, so before you leave home, you have to choose from your shelf which masks to pick up — an N95 or a surgical mask, or a cloth mask. For what kind of activity should you reserve your N95? For a plane ride or a really, really busy place? And you should just sort of alternate the others. we mean, how do you live basically? we can’t tell anyone how they should live. This is a decision people have to make for themselves.
Everyone has their own risk profile in terms of both the activities that they’re doing, for example, if it’s going on a plane or going to a hospital, but also their own health conditions and their tolerances. Do you have a sick relative at home for whom you have to be extra cautious yourself about just during normal daily activities? Or you don’t. Then there’s the situation you are in — do you have existing health conditions?
we lean on the more cautious side and we use high-filtration masks in almost all cases. But we have an elderly relative (at home) and we have pre-existing health issues. For me, the added discomfort is just worth the reduction in risk. It is a matter of being aware of what you can tolerate and whether the added financial burden and in some cases, comfort is worth it for choosing the N95 masks. we think for a lot of people, and N95 is a good decision, especially if you know that the mask fits you. But again, everyone has to make their own call.