Recent WHO advice on masks - FFP? Reference to over 60s. Long.

David · 2021-01-23T15:05:55+00:00

Not everyone's favourite source, but worth investigating.It includes:"This week French health officials advised people to wear surgical masks rather than home made fabric ones as these afford greater protection against highly contagious new variants."and"Germany went a step further and followed Austria and Bavaria in making it compulsory for full protective filtering face piece (FFP) masks to be worn on public transport and in shops."plus"The World Health Organization (WHO) currently recommends that medical or surgical masks should be worn by healthcare workers, people with Covid-19 symptoms, those caring for someone with suspected Covid-19, and anyone aged 60 or over, and those with underlying medical conditions where distancing of at least 1 metre cannot be achieved."I especially note the "60 or over" bit, being {cough} years older than that myself.I suspect that a few other posters may have passed that particular (sorry) point as well.In the diagram there is a reference to FFP2 masks, but no real clarity about the different grades (FFP1-3) and if FFP1 is better than a cloth mask.The lead picture doesn't seem to be an FFP mask because there is no sign of a filter.Presumably a medical grade disposable mask?Noting especially that most of the masks featured (as with clinical masks) are designed to stop the wearer infecting other people.Only those with air inlet valves like the FFP masks are designed to protect the wearer against breathing in particles.However the FFP masks aren't designed to filter your breath when you breathe out, so don't protect others.Which in turn means that if anyone was clued up on this FFP masks wouldn't be allowed in shops and public transport. However, see above!The WHO approach (as used by Germany, Austria and Bavaria) seems to be to protect oneself and to hell with the rest.Granted that if everyone is wearing an FFP mask then the protection strategy should still work as everyone will be protected.This has an added bonus in that mask...

Jan 23, 2021 Last reply: 5 years ago 21 Replies

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nightjar 5 years ago

Which only slightly modifies the question. Do I believe that you have such an in depth knowledge of fluid mechanics that you can accurately predict the behaviour of a partly enclosed body of air, or do I believe that a team of researchers who have carried out controlled trials have got the answer right? Again, I go with the researchers.

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Thomas Prufer 5 years ago

Actually, for Bavaria: FFP2, equivalent or better, this being defined on theri homepage as:

FFP3 (Europa) N95 (NIOSH-42C FR84, USA), P2 (AS/NZ 1716:2012, Australien/Neuseeland), KF94 (Korea 1st Class KMOEL-2017-64) DS (Japan JMHLW-Notification 214,2018). KN95 (GB2626-2006, China)

This is not generally true. FFP2 masks with valves are specifically mentioned on the Bavarian ministry FAQ, as "should not be worn, as they do not protect others, as the wearer's aerosols exit freely."

Not true in the case of Germany, and Bavaria...

Thomas Prufer

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