Which Mask Will Protect You Best?

9/15/2020 (Permalink)

What protection is your mask giving you?

We're all familiar with masks at this point. They protect us from the COVID-19 virus. But recent Wildfires have posed a different threat... Smoke Particles. Does your mask protect you from both COVID-19 and Smoke Particles? 

Cloth Masks

These masks block virus droplets. Walk into a bakery with these masks and I guarantee you'll smell all the baked goodness. That's how the mask works. But these cloth masks do not block smoke particles. Though they may block large bits of ash floating through the air, the cloth allows for small particles to enter and possibly compromise your system.

N95 Masks

These masks provide a tight seal around your face and are excellent when dealing with smoke particles. Some N95 masks have an air filters on them. Those are designed to prevent inhaling potentially dangerous particulates. However, the N95 masks with air filters should not be used for COVID-19 protection. Those filters do not block droplets from leaving the mask.

It's science! N95 will provide the best protection for both the COVID-19 virus and smoke particles as long as there is no air filter.