Face Masks, A Crucial Tool For Slowing The Spread Of Covid-19

As the South African economy starts to reopen with many people returning to work, the national number of new COVID-19 cases is still rising rapidly – a state of affairs which can be almost directly linked to people not following the guidelines for social distancing and the wearing of suitable fabric face masks.

Amongst all the strategies we have for combatting the virus, a new study has pinned the wearing of face masks as the most important aspect of our fight against COVID-19, showing how face coverings are a key determinant in the shaping of the transmission curve.

The team, comprised of experts from Texas A&M University, the University of Texas at Austin, the California Institute of Technology and the University of California San Diego, analysed various prevention methods put in place in Wuhan, Italy and New York City, 3 of the world’s major outbreak hubs. Their research studied the effects of new measures on the transmission curve. This methodology allowed them to measure the change after each new measure was implemented, creating direct relationships between each measure and its result.

Their detailed analysis showed that the wearing of face masks was the most effective of all measures put in place, saving tens of thousands of people from infection in each of the hotspot cities.

“Our study establishes very clearly that using a face mask is not only useful to prevent infected coughing droplets from reaching uninfected persons,” said study author Mario Molina, “but is also crucial for these uninfected persons to avoid breathing the minute atmospheric particles (aerosols) that infected people emit when talking and that can remain in the atmosphere tens of minutes and can travel tens of feet.”

In their study, the researchers urge policy-makers to take note of their findings, using them to inform their decision-making around prevention tactics amid the pandemic.

At Brits Nonwoven, we have created the D15™ Filter Mask solutions, which are specifically-designed to trap any particle that is 5µm and above, the size for disease-carrying particles that threaten the general public. The filter actually traps many smaller particles as well, but the main holdout is 90% effective above 5µm.

The D15™ Filter has been tested against various public and private specifications, far surpassing the DTIC Guidelines for materials used for public face masks.

Our masks and filters are reusable, comfortable and durable, providing an effective and eco-friendly solution to flattening the curve of COVID-19!

Click here to find out more about our D15™ Filter and Face Mask product range!