It’s been a year since the COVID-19 pandemic started and it looks like face masks are not going away anytime soon. With the pandemic continuing, this is the year to update your knowledge about face masks to better protect yourself against COVID-19 and its new and highly transmissible variants.
Levels of Protection
There are many levels of protection offered by different masks and several tiers of certifications, but overall, masks can be classified the following ways:
- FDA Approved: FDA approved means the FDA has received a sample of the masks in question, which are then tested to verify the documentation provided by the manufacturer is accurate and compliant to the specifications needed to receive this level of certification.
- FDA Emergency Use Authorized (EUA): The FDA updated and re-issued the EUA for facemasks on April 2020. Here they clarified that, “face masks, including cloth face coverings, that are allowed by the EUA are only allowed for use by the public and health care personnel as source control.” Face coverings under this category may not be used in place of a filtering face piece respirator or surgical masks and have not been tested by the FDA. Their approval is based on the documents the manufacturer has provided.
- Medical Grade: These are FDA-regulated face masks, surgical masks, and respirators (filtering face piece respirators, such as N95 respirators) intended for a medical purpose to help prevent the spread of infectious materials during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Civilian Grade: Civilian grade masks are made of the same material and design as a medical mask, but do not go through the same certification process to be used in environments where Medical Grade is required. This ultimately cuts down production costs and makes the price accessible for the general population.
Medical and Civilian Face Masks: What’s the Difference?
Now that you know what the different grades for facemasks are, you can make a more informed decision when choosing face protection. But when buying face masks for every-day use, how do you spot the difference between civilian and medical grade?
The easiest way to make this differentiation is by looking at the ear loops. Civilian grade masks have ear loops, while the specifications for a medical certification require the mask loops to wrap around the head.
These specifications apply not only to 3-Ply procedural face mask, but also to KN95 and N95. Masks that have been tested for filtration and achieved a >95% BFE (Bacterial Filtering Efficiency) would qualify for medical use. However, if the loops only wrap around the ears, they will only be available for civilian use.
Better Protection against Omicron
With the new and highly transmittable variant of the corona virus circulating in the US, experts now recommend that the general public upgrades their face protection. The advice that went out last week, reminded the public that single layer masks and bandanas are not a viable option to protect us against the Omicron variant of COVID-19. Here are the two options experts have presented.
Double-Masking
Some experts have already recommended double-masking as a civilian solution to curb the spread of the more transmittable variants. According to Popular Science, the best option for the general public will be to place a cloth mask over a 3-Ply Surgical Mask. The cloth mask will help improve the fit and correct placement for the surgical mask that will in turn act as an additional filter. This combination can better serve to trap droplets expelled by the wearer and repel infectious particles in the air.
Civilian Grade and FDA Authorized KN95 Masks
N95 respirators are still the best protection against COVID-19 because they filter out at least 95% of the particles from the air that are breathed through it. However, these respirators are still in short supply for healthcare workers, so experts recommend the use of civilian grade or FDA Authorized KN95 that are easily available online.
Even though the vaccine against COVID-19 promises to show us a way back to normalcy, experts say we still need to be vigilant and use better protection in this 2021 to curb the spread of the not-so-novel corona virus.
Production Automation Corporation (PAC) is an essential supplier of manufacturing equipment, supplies, and environmental controls.
We have face masks currently in stock at warehouses across the United States. As warehouse inventory is cycled and restocked, the exact specifications may vary. Stock levels change daily. Have questions? Post your comment below. (Sí, se habla español)
Procedural Masks
- 3 Layer Mask
- PP + Spunbond Layers
- No Latex
- No Fiberglass
- Ear Loops
- Soft Lining and Breathable
KN95
- Disposable non-surgical face masks.
- Designed for everyday civilian use.
- 95% filtration efficacy
- Filters out particles, dust, droplets, etc.
- 3rd-party tested and validated
- Comfortable ear loops
