hygienic

Hygienic masks in Farma2Go

Hygienic Masks are designed to filter exhaled air. Its mission is to protect those around you, avoiding the spread of the virus when sneezing, coughing or speaking. They are useful for controlling infections in healthy populations, since if we all wear these masks, we are all protected, since they act as a barrier and stop the possible droplets that are projected when sneezing or coughing. Even so, it is important to keep in mind that they are not personal protective equipment that follows Regulation UE/2016/425. This means that they protect other people more from possible contagion than oneself. Exactly the same thing happens with surgery, but with less individual protection.

They are also known as barrier masks and are the most common and sweet potatoes. Intended for people without symptoms, you can find them non-reusable and reusable, the latter made with specific materials that allow them to be used more than once, always following the appropriate washing and disinfection steps. These types of masks can be manufactured at home, following the basic standard and the recommendations of health and scientific organizations.

Hygienic masks should not be considered a medical device, since they do not follow the same regulations and guidelines as these, nor individual protective equipment (PPE), according to European regulations. When using this type of mask, we must be aware that we are not fully protected against possible infections nor are we exempt from being able to infect other people, so it is very important to complement their use with other preventive measures, both hygienic like social distancing.

How do you put on a mask?

1. Avoid touching the inside of the mask.
2. Adjust the elastic band around the ears until they are in a comfortable position.
3. Adjust the outer face of the mask to the structure of the face until it is well unfolded and sealed.
4. Adjust the nose clip with both hands until it is snug against the nose.
5. Change the mask if it is wet, damaged or if you have breathing difficulties.

The effectiveness of protection will depend to a large extent on proper handling and use.

It is recommended that adults supervise the placement, use and removal of the mask in children.

Homemade Manufacture of Hygienic Masks

Although it is difficult for a homemade hygienic mask to guarantee the same safety as one that you can buy at Farma2Go, endorsed by a company that has carried out trials and tests, it is possible to make one of these masks by hand. When making hygienic masks at home, some important issues must be taken into account, such as that it must cover the nose, mouth and chin, it must consist of filtering material, it must guarantee a proper fit with the face so that there are no leaks and it must have elastic bands or straps to tie. The material with which they must be made are folded layers of sealed or heat-sealed TNT, following the steps of cutting the flat pattern (carried out by hand or with machines), folding, sewing and fastening the hook on the ears, elastic or stitched material.

Approved Hygienic Masks

Reusable hygienic masks can be purchased in multiple shops, pharmacies, online stores, etc. However, it is necessary to know how to differentiate between the masks that comply with the UNE 0065:2020 regulation, those that do not comply with this regulation but do comply with other specifications and, finally, masks without specifications. At Farma2Go we recommend that you always use and purchase the first ones, which are the ones that are authentically approved, after being tested in laboratories and that present scientific evidence of their operation as a method of protection and prevention.

The UNE 0065:2020 standard is developed by the Spanish Association for Standardization to approve this product and ensure that all those that go through this approval are safe and protect correctly, without hidden failures or unforeseen effects. The purchase of this type of hygienic mask thus guarantees that these masks, in their preparation and manufacture, have met a series of requirements in terms of design, manufacturing materials and use, among other issues. It is the only way to be sure that we are buying safe material.

This does not mean that those with other specifications are not safe, in fact, they could have a similar operation, but they have not been tested following the protocols established in Spain and we cannot be scientifically certain that their effectiveness is adequate. . Likewise, there are other types of reusable hygienic masks that have undergone clinical trials and bacterial filtration and breathability tests, but have not met the quality standards required by the UNE regulations. Even so, this does not mean that they are totally useless, since in some cases, they can also offer good results in healthy people.

To exceed the quality indices required by the UNE 0065:2020 standard, hygienic masks must have at least a bacterial and particle filtration efficiency equal to or greater than 90% (given that a lower filtration does not ensure contagious non-diffusion). , as well as a breathability of less than 60 Pa/CM2, whose purpose is to guarantee the proper functioning of our respiratory system without causing inconvenience.

Differences between Hygienic and Surgical Masks

To know the differences between one and the other, you have to understand what each type of mask is for. Hygienic ones are a complement to the social distancing and hygiene measures recommended by the Spanish health authorities. They cover the openings in the face that can exhale particles, covering the mouth, nose and chin. Provided with rubber bands that surround the head or are attached to the ears and made up of one or several layers of textile material. They can be reusable or single use.

For their part, surgical masks are the ones we are used to seeing in healthcare and clinical environments, since their objective is to prevent healthcare personnel and patients who are infected with a contagious virus from transmitting particles that carry these infectious agents. These masks filter the exhaled air and protect those around them, preventing the spread of the virus when carrying out daily actions such as sneezing or coughing. Like the hygienic ones, they are fixed to the face and adjusted by rubber bands or other mechanisms.

In addition, there are other types of masks, which are Individual Protection Equipment (PPE) , especially recommended for professionals who have to work in front of the public, since they create a barrier between the potential risk for the user. Thus, they filter the air both from the inside out and from the outside in, protecting those around us and oneself. Its purpose, in fact, is to filter the inhaled air, avoiding the entry of polluting particles into our body. Depending on their effectiveness, they can be FFP1, FFP2 or FFP3.