Why Respirator Masks Are More Effective Than Cloth Masks Against COVID-19

The overall concern with cloth masks: they do not fit the face properly enough to block out air and do not include a specialized filter to effectively prevent the viral spread of the Coronavirus like the N95 respirator facemask.

What was once considered a seamless trip to the grocery store has suddenly become an extremely daunting task for some, particularly for those unsure how to best protect themselves and their mouths amid the spread of the Coronavirus. 

Which facial covering works best? Is there really a difference when it comes to facemasks? Isn’t a homemade mask good enough protection for a facial covering?

With organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommending the usage of wearing protective masks in public settings, there is still a lot of uncertainty about how scarves, bandanas, and also cloth masks offer protection when it comes to these lingering questions. 

Cloth masks may provide some protection as a last resort, but it is far less than respirators and traditional medical masks such as those carried by CovCare (N95, KN95, 3-ply surgical masks). According to a past study from 2015, the rates of infection actually tend to be higher for cloth masks compared to surgical masks for example. Cloth masks only blocked 3% of particles, compared with medical masks (which stopped 56% of particles) and N95s (protective against 99.9% of particles).

Fabrics and cloth masks may provide only minimal levels of respiratory protection to a wearer since they are not specifically designed for respiratory protection. The overall concern with cloth masks: they do not fit the face properly enough to block out air and do not include a specialized filter to effectively prevent the viral spread of the Coronavirus. 

Whereas homemade cloth masks may offer protection for viruses from the common flu, they are not exactly ideal when dealing with a dangerous airborne illness like COVID-19. Instead, the most effective masks to filter out small droplets in the air that may transmit the Coronavirus are the N95 respirators.

N95 respirator masks are fitted so they are sealed around to guard the mouth and nose equally, stopping 95% of airborne particles.

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