Surgical Masks Does NOT Work Against the Haze, Here’s What You Should Wear

As Haze hits Malaysia HARD, many have resorted to wearing surgical masks to protect themselves, BUT did you know that it’s actually NOT useful at all?

Why can’t you use surgical masks for haze?

Because surgical masks…

• Are meant to catch wearer’s own bodily fluids (e.g. saliva, nasal discharge a.k.a hingus)
• Prevent infectious liquid droplets from spreading
• Prevent the wearer from touching their own mouth or nose
• Do not offer airtight fit. (thus are NOT designed to protect the wearer from inhaling airborne bacteria, viruses, and fine particles)
• Are designed to trap microbes, not polluted air.
• Should only be worn IF you are down with cold, flu or cough, or when working with patients.

Source: Techarp

Regardless of what type of filter the brand offers, surgical masks are a no-no for haze.

Why does it matter?

Solid particles and liquid droplets, that’s what make the air polluted. The government would always notify us daily with the measurement of air quality. The air will be measured either in PM2.5 or PM10 (PM does not stand for Perdana Menteri in this case).

What do these measurements tell us?

• PM10 stands for particles with diameters that are smaller than 0.01 mm. High PM10 level will cause irritation to the eyes and throat and worsen your heart or lung conditions leading to breathing difficulties.
• PM2.5 stands for particles with diameters that are smaller than 0.025 mm. Their small size is extremely lethal as it can be breathed deep into the lungs and affecting us in the long run.

Hence choosing face masks that can filter both PM10 and PM2.5 is crucial.

Use respirators instead

Our best bet now is to use N95 respirators that looks like something you could buy at a lingerie section.

This type of mask provides an almost complete tight seal around your nose and mouth thus allowing air to only go through the filter. You may find it a bit difficult to breathe with this but that’s a sign that it works.

Can you use it again?

Most of the time, these are meant to be disposed after a surgery session but if you are using it for protection from the haze, you should consider it’s cleanliness and not to mention the amount of sweat and spit you had before.

Or,

You can buy a washable mask online! (But it doesn’t mean that you can just throw it into the washing machine.)

Steps in wearing mask properly

Here are some step-by-step instructions for wearing any face mask correctly, including N95 respirators :

1. Wash or sanitize your hands before touching the mask.
2. Make sure that the stiff bendable strip is on top.
3. Pull the string, earloops or elastic band over your head and secure tight.
4. Mold or pinch the nose strip according to the shape of your nose.
5. Pull the bottom of the mask over your mouth and chin.
6. Perform a positive and negative pressure check.
   • Negative pressure check – Place both hands over the mask and inhale sharply. The mask should pull into your face, and you should not feel air leaking around your face or eyes.
   • Positive pressure check – Place both hands over the mask and exhale sharply. You should not feel air leaking out around your face or eyes.

In light of the event, we hope that everyone consumes a lot of plain water as another way to fight this phenomenon. Comment down below on the type of mask you always use.

Also Read: Think Surgical Mask is Good for Haze? This Guy Reminds Malaysians To Use This Mask Instead