A 3M technical bulletin released in early June reports that surgical masks are not the way to go if you want the best protection from bioaerosols including SARS-CoV-2.
No matter which contaminant you’re fighting — coronavirus or tuberculosis, Hantavirus or anthrax — a certified particulate N95 respirator offers the best protection for the wearer. In fact, research done in 2014 comparing surgical masks to N95 respirators showed that respirators offered almost twice the protection of surgical masks for both viral and bacterial infections.
One difference between respirators and surgical masks is that a respirator helps protect the wearer from inhaling aerosol biohazards; surgical masks, on the other hand, help prevent the wearer from expelling large droplet contaminants into the air. That said, surgical masks don’t fit tightly to the face like a respirator does, so they don’t reduce contaminants efficiently.
“Surgical masks have not been assigned protection factors by OSHA and should not be relied upon to help reduce exposure to inhalable airborne particles,” the technical bulletin says.
Plus, your respirator doesn’t work properly unless it’s fitted and used correctly. Proper maintenance of the respirator is necessary, as microorganisms can survive on the filter. Also remember that not all respirators can be reused, and that no respirator can prevent inhalation of all particles.
SOURCES:
3M Technical Data Bulletin June 5, 2020
Preventive Medicine January 25, 2014