We are wearing masks! How about you?
Check out this research study from University of Edinburgh. In a lab, even flimsy paper surgical masks can filter out 80% of viruses.
The n95 filters are better, of course, but since they are scarce, we have purposefully not bought those, to leave enough for health care workers.
So we are making cloth masks, to keep us from touching nose, mouth, and to remind us not to touch eyes as well. Three layers deep, with pocket to slip paper filters in, even if it is a kleenex or coffee filter.
And yes, we will be sure to wash them after each use as they are “bug” catchers after all.
The researchers blew particles of 0.007 microns, which are 10 times smaller than SARS CoV 2 virus, which are 125 microns, or 125 nanometers. These particles were blown into the following masks and found they filtered out, or caught, the following amount of particles:
1. cotton handkerchief filters out about 28%
2. surgical mask filters out 80%
3-6. various bike masks, most about 80%
7. teflon filter 99.3%
8. 3M n95 mask 96.6%
9. dust respirator 98.5%
10. dust respirator 99.7%
Basically these nanoparticles catch on the mask, due to a process called Brownian Motion. Although particles are small enough they could fit through the fibers in the masks, they end up bouncing around like a pinball in air, and get stuck in the fibers. This capture is called “diffusion.”
Research study from University of Edinburgh:
Beneficial cardiovascular effects of reducing exposure to particulate air pollution with a simple facemask:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2662779/?fbclid=IwAR0rsYHhV49gQqWhg2KPizDFA-ZlBLdXoXHdP8pLeMth1Xj1PEF9wbuDFLY
Pic 1: test results of common face masks.
Mask chart from Smart Air Filters.
Pic 2: Size comparison of viruses to bacteria, blood and particulate matter.
Chart from Smart Air Filters.
1. Cov 2 virus (125 nm or 0.125 microns)
2. probiotic gut bacteria
3. PM2.5 = fine particulate matter air pollutant 2.5 microns
4. red blood cell
5. PM10 = particulate matter (fire particles) 10 microns
Reference articles:
mudhutmedicine 