Is Your Face Mask Effective Enough Against Covid? KN95 & N95

As Covid cases have been rising rapidly with the Omicron variant over the Christmas period, it’s a good idea to refresh your mask-wearing and hygiene practices. Masks were recently re-mandated for wear inside shops and other venues, which can help to reduce COVID particles from spreading between people, but evidence shows that some masks are more effective than others.

“Some types of mask are vastly superior – namely, FFP2 masks [similar to N95 & KN95], the ones that look like a beak. But, unfortunately, they’re not the kind most people are wearing”, says the Daily Mail’s Health Editor.

The Omicron variant is showing to be much more highly transmissible than previous variants. “The chances of coming into close contact with someone carrying the virus while going about your day was high back then, and now it’s pretty much inevitable.

“It comes down to this: if we’re going to wear masks, can we at least have ones that really work? Ones that not only stop us giving someone Covid, but prevent us from getting it too.”

Re-usable cloth masks in particular are shown to have little efficacy. The Wall Street Journal reports that “Single-layer cloth masks, which many people prefer for comfort and style, can block larger droplets carrying the virus, but aren’t as effective in blocking smaller aerosols or particles carrying the virus, according to infectious-disease specialists”.

KN95 masks have a filter layer made of polypropylene, a type of plastic that is effective at trapping small particles. This extra layer provides a higher level of protection when compared with cloth or blue surgical masks.

We offer high quality N95, KN95, and FFP2 masks at Tradelocks and the UAP Health Care Range. Our KN95 and N95 masks feature four layers and six layers respectively, and are tested for fluid resistance, filtration efficiency, flammability and biocompatibility. They are designed to capture at least 95% of particles they come in contact with, providing the highest level of protection a face mask can give.