Ep 69 – Mask Wearing & COVID-19 – Risks, Benefits & Requirements

The title says it all folks, Mask Wearing & COVID-19 - Risks, Benefits & Requirements. What are risks and what are the OSHA requirements? Listen in as we discuss the very relevant topic of Covid-19 and the use of mask.  In this episode, we review some literature from different sources assessing N95, P95, surgical masks, and cloth/fabric/cotton masks. 



We are releasing today's episode early in light of recent requirements in the state of Texas for masks in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent increases seen in Texas.



Governor Abbott Establishes Statewide Face Covering Requirement, Issues Proclamation To Limit Gatherings



July 2, 2020 | Austin, Texas | Press Release



https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-establishes-statewide-face-covering-requirement-issues-proclamation-to-limit-gatherings



We start by sharing a rant from an OSHA 10 & 30 certified individual.  He outlines the lack of efficacy of each category, N95, P95, surgical and cloth masks.  He ends with the fact that not only are cloth masks not helpful, they could be more harmful.



Then, we go into an article from UC San Francisco arguing for masks.  The men interviewed share theories as to why the CDC released confusing information, first saying masks should not be worn by the public, then saying they should.  Later, they share evidence they believe supports the efficacy of masks. 



Check out what the FDA has to say about masks here.N95 Respirators, Surgical Masks, and Face Masks



https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/personal-protective-equipment-infection-control/n95-respirators-surgical-masks-and-face-masks



The next piece of literature we discuss is from an Oxford Journal in 2010 where several different materials were tested to stop penetration of particles .5-1 micrometers in size.  The Coronavirus is .125 micrometers.  Sadly, the only mask that had an incredibly low penetration rate was the N95, which should not be worn by the public without a fit test and a pulmonary function test.  The other types of masks tested were made of sweatshirt material (fleece) and t-shirt material (cotton). 



Lastly, we discussed a graphic released by the CDC to help understand the difference between a surgical mask and a N95 respirator.  By their specifications, neither is a good option for Covid-19 protection. The surgical mask is intended to protect the wearer from “large droplets, splashes, or sprays of bodily or other hazardous fluids” and is used in an already sterile environment.  It “does NOT provide the wearer with a reliable level of protection from inhaling smaller airborne particles and is not considered respiratory protection.”  The N95 does filter out particles, but must be properly fitted and donned and discarded immediately when, among many other things, it “becomes contaminated with…respiratory or nasal secretions…”



Our summary is that based on the CDC’s graphic alone, two of the three mask options to protect from Coronavirus are not beneficial.  The last option, cloth/fabric/cotton, has been shown in other studies to have a high (70%+) penetration rate of particles bigger than the COVID-19 virus size, showing that’s not going to help either.