Homemade face masks may not block coronavirus like N95: CDC says make them your last resort
N95 masks adhere to strict protocols to block out airborne particles, including viruses, in ways that cotton and elastic just can't.
N95 face masks are currently in short supply.
South China Morning Post/Getty ImagesHomemade face masks are a topic of hot conversation as stock of certified N95 respirator masks -- the essential protective equipment used by health care workers fighting the coronavirus pandemic -- reaches critical lows. In response, grassroots campaigns across the US are urging residents to sew face masks at home for the medical community and for your own family's protection.
There's just one problem: Handmade masks aren't scientifically proven to be as effective at protecting you from the novel coronavirus, no matter how extreme the shortage of N95 masks. Why not? The answer comes down to the way N95 masks are made, certified and worn. A self-made cotton mask certainly won't harm you as long as you understand its limitations. But assuming it will shield you from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, could put communities at greater risk if you're not following other protocols to stay safe.
While many argue that using a homemade mask is better than nothing (especially in a last-resort hospital setting), when it comes to personal use, the most surefire way for most of us to protect the health of high-risk groups such as senior citizens and people with compromised immune systems is to self-quarantine at home, frequently and thoroughly was your hands and practice appropriate social distancing.
Those who work in health-care capacities don't always have that choice. As a result, global leaders and medical professionals ask that you please not buy N95 masks for yourself, so as to save them for the medical community that's in desperate need. For example, Target has apologized for selling N95 masks amid the shortage.
If you do have a supply of N95 masks on hand, consider donating them to a health care facility or hospital near you. Here's how to donate hand sanitizer and protective equipment to hospitals in need -- and why you should also refrain from making your own hand sanitizer.
N95 masks fit to your face and go through certification
N95 respirator masks differ from other types of surgical masks and face masks because they create a tight seal between the respirator and your face, which helps filter at least 95% of airborne particulates. They might include an exhalation valve to make it easier to breathe while wearing them. Coronavirus can linger in the air for up to 30 minutes and be transmitted from person to person through vapor (breath), coughing, sneezing, saliva and transfer over commonly touched objects.
Each model of N95 mask from each manufacturer is certified by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. N95 surgical respirator masks go through a secondary clearance by the Food and Drug Administration for use in surgery -- they better protect practitioners from exposure to substances such as patient blood.
In US health care settings, N95 masks must also go through a mandatory fit test using a protocol set by OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, before use. This video (linked) from manufacturer 3M shows some of the key differences between standard surgical masks and N95 masks.
Homemade masks are unregulated.
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