Selecting the right respiratory protection

The healthcare fraternity has been facing unprecedented challenges owing to global COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare workers and professionals are at increased risk of catching such communicable diseases because of the nature of their job. If healthcare workers start getting sick in high numbers, it shall not only add to the patient load but also burden the healthcare delivery system. Personal protective equipment (PPE) plays a significant role in keeping both public and the healthcare workers safe. It is extremely important to select the right protection gear, especially when it comes to respiratory protection.

Respiratory protection is required, or recommended, for healthcare professionals to help reduce their exposure to airborne particles, including bacteria and viruses that may cause disease. Most often, the requirement is for them to use an N95, FFP2 or equivalent filtering facepiece respirator (FFR).

When used correctly, respirators can help reduce wearers’ exposure to airborne particulate hazards, including both bio-aerosols and non-biological aerosols. Respirators contain filter material, and are designed to form a seal with the wearer’s face, so that air passes through the filter (instead of around the edges) before it is inhaled.

A common choice is a disposable FFR. No matter how well a respirator seals to the face and how efficient the filter media is, wearers should expect a small amount of leakage inside any respirator. No respirator will eliminate exposure entirely.
It is important to note that guidance from any applicable occupational health authority, the World Health Organization (WHO), United States National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or your local health authority should be followed in any health emergency, and this document is not a substitute for that guidance.

Respirators versus masks
What should healthcare and hospital infection-control practitioners and occupational health and safety teams look for when selecting a respirator during public health emergencies?

Check to confirm that the product you are considering is certified as a respirator (such as an N95, FFP2, or equivalent). Certified respirators contain filtration material capable of capturing particles, including ones that are too small to see with your eyes. Certified particulate respirators can filter all types of particles, including bacteria and viruses.

Be sure to select a respirator that can seal against your face without any gaps. To provide respiratory protection, a respirator must fit snugly on the users face to ensure there are no gaps between the face and the respirator seal. Even very small gaps between the face and the edge of the respirator allow air and particles to go around the filter media.

Surgical gauze masks or uncertified dust masks typically do not have adequate filtration material and may not be designed to form a seal against the face and, therefore, may not provide the expected protection to your lungs. Note that some uncertified masks look very similar to certified respirators. It is important to carefully read the information printed on packaging before you purchase a product.

What is the difference between a certified respirator and a surgical mask?
Respirators are designed to help reduce the wearer’s exposure to airborne particles. The primary purpose of a surgical mask is to help prevent biological particles (e.g., bacteria and viruses) from being expelled by the wearer into the environment during talking, sneezing, or coughing.
Surgical masks are not necessarily designed to seal tightly to the face, so air might leak around the edges.