Sheeza Basharatabout 3 years ago

 Homemade masks vs Hospital masks

For my healthcare following: a word of caution before using homemade masks at work. Here are two closeups into fabric under an electron microscope. On the left we see a homemade woven mask, and on the right, nonwoven fabric which would be used in hospital-grade surgical masks. . We can clearly see that the homemade masks would allow for a larger particle size to pass through. Hospital-grade surgical masks use fabric designed to be waterproof, protecting against droplets. Additionally, N95 masks have extra layers and are fitted, to prevent airborne droplets (ie as small as 0.3 microns) from passing through. Yes, something is better than nothing, but this is visual to keep in mind before putting yourself in an uncomfortable situation.