It’s Time To Revise Mask Guidelines In View Of COVID-19 Variants

However, N95 masks are generally single-use and most of them cannot be washed or disinfected. While there is no consensus on how many times N95 masks can be used, doctors ideally say these should not be used more than two or three times at the most.

For this, doctors use a common hack, which was developed when there was a shortage of medical-grade masks. You buy five masks and wear one each day. The ones not in use can be kept in a paper bag. This way, five masks can be used for up to three weeks in rotation.

But for those using these masks regularly in crowded places, such as offices or shopping malls, doctors recommend reusing N95s only if they can be decontaminated, the report added.

“Ideally, an N95 can be reused up to three times after disinfecting effectively using either a hydrogen peroxide vapor spray, treating it with heat at 70 degrees Celsius, or by using UV light,” Dr Sharad Joshi, principal consultant of pulmonology at Max Super Speciality Hospital in Vaishali was quoted as saying. He does not recommend reusing these masks in hospital settings. Joshi added that a surgical mask can be worn over an N95 to prolong its use.

Dr Moni also suggests that UV chambers for disinfecting such masks could be a viable and sustainable solution for large workplaces to consider reopening. However, disposable N95s may not be an affordable solution for many people.

What about cotton masks?

“These are also more comfortable to wear than surgical or N95s, and can be effectively used for the elderly while they are in reverse quarantine,” Dr Moni was quoted as saying. (Reverse quarantine is a public health strategy used in Kerala where vulnerable populations like the elderly are kept away from the general population during an infectious outbreak).

• Cloth masks can augment the efficacy of the surgical mask. While separately a surgical or a cotton mask may not be as protective, a cotton mask worn over a surgical mask can offer up to 80% protection against the virus. The cotton mask also helps make the surgical mask fit more snugly.
• Being able to wash and reuse makes them both sustainable and resourceful in low-income settings. And while N95s are most effective in infection-friendly settings, it is equally prudent to have a large population wear face coverings correctly to halt the community spread.
• This guidance is also useful in outdoor spaces and well-ventilated public transport, where a cotton mask could be a safety net against a mass cluster outbreak.

What to do when working out

An N95 mask may be challenging to use while running, cycling or strenuous workout. A triple-layered cotton mask may be enough for cycling or running outdoors, though.

For indoor gyms, Dr Moni said a visor has been found effective at stopping transmission in simulation studies. But this will still not be effective if it is a closed space and crowded.