Moist heat treatment of N95 masks eliminates Covid-19: Study
4 years, 4 months ago

Moist heat treatment of N95 masks eliminates Covid-19: Study

Hindustan Times  

Scientists have found that moist heat treatment of N95 masks eliminates the novel coronavirus which causes COVID-19, an advance which could allow reuse of these scarce resources in hospitals and long-term care facilities. In the study, the researchers tested four common models of N95 masks at various temperatures and humidity levels to determine whether the virus could be detected on the treated masks. According to the study, published in Canadian Medical Association Journal, moist heat treatment of masks for 60 min at 70 degrees Celsius in a humid condition did not damage their structure or affect function. “After 10 disinfection cycles, masks maintained fibre diameters similar to untreated masks and continued to meet standards for fit, filtration efficiency, and breathing resistance,” the study noted.

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History of this topic

COVID-19: should we start wearing masks again?
1 year, 3 months ago

COVID-19: should we start wearing masks again?

The Hindu  

One thing that can be guaranteed about COVID-19 is that evolution will provide us with a more or less constant stream of new coronavirus variants, some of which will be more successful at infecting people. It’s this worry that there may be a new wave of infections that has got some people talking about the need to reintroduce measures that …

Wearing masks did ’little to nothing’ to help curb Covid spread, study reveals
1 year, 10 months ago

Wearing masks did ’little to nothing’ to help curb Covid spread, study reveals

Live Mint  

Face masks have done ‘little to nothing’ to curb the Covid-19 transmission, a new scientific review titled “Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses” suggested. It conducted research on the findings of 78 randomized controlled trials to find out whether the physical interventions, including face masks and hand wash, limited the spread of respiratory diseases. “Wearing …

Masks made little or no difference in Covid-19 spread, new study suggests
1 year, 10 months ago

Masks made little or no difference in Covid-19 spread, new study suggests

India TV News  

A new review led by 12 researchers from universities around the world has examined whether wearing face masks helped prevent the spread of Covid-19. According to the study published by the Cochrane Library, "Wearing masks in the community probably makes little or no difference" in controlling the spread of Covid-19. However, it's important to note that the review included studies …

More evidence of airborne spread of COVID: study
2 years, 7 months ago

More evidence of airborne spread of COVID: study

The Hindu  

The SARS-CoV-2, which was earlier thought to spread through touching infected surfaces, has been found to be spreading airborne and more evidence is coming up in this regard, with epidemiologists also finding that countries that used masks were affected less severely by the pandemic. Scientists analysed the coronavirus’ genome content from air samples collected from different areas occupied by COVID …

Should you wear a cloth mask, or an N95 to avoid Omicron? US health experts answer
2 years, 11 months ago

Should you wear a cloth mask, or an N95 to avoid Omicron? US health experts answer

India TV News  

Highlights Cloth and surgical masks do nothing for protection from ambient virus, said a US top expert Evidence of the the N95's superiority to the cloth mask has been well-documented. "Cloth and surgical masks do absolutely nothing for protection from ambient virus," said Chad Roy, a microbiologist at Tulane University School of Medicine, referring to the virus spreading through the …

Coronavirus Becomes 90% Less Infectious Within 20 Minutes of Being Airborne, Reveals UK Study
2 years, 11 months ago

Coronavirus Becomes 90% Less Infectious Within 20 Minutes of Being Airborne, Reveals UK Study

News 18  

A groundbreaking new study that attempts to find how the deadly coronavirus survives in exhaled air has revealed that the virus becomes 90 per cent less infectious within 20 minutes of becoming airborne therefore losing most of its ability to infect after the first five minutes. While conducting the study, the researchers developed an apparatus to generate virus-containing particles and …

Wearing A Cloth Mask? You Can Get Covid-19 In 20 Minutes: Study
2 years, 11 months ago

Wearing A Cloth Mask? You Can Get Covid-19 In 20 Minutes: Study

News 18  

With the Covid-19 cases rising again rapidly all over the world, the debate over cloth masks vs N95 masks have begun again. While many switched to cloth masks considering the comfort factor after the country started recording less than 100 cases post the second Covid-19 wave, a large section of people still opt for surgical masks or N95 as they …

Coronavirus FAQ: It's cold and flu season — and COVID season! How do I stay unsick?
3 years, 1 month ago

Coronavirus FAQ: It's cold and flu season — and COVID season! How do I stay unsick?

NPR  

Coronavirus FAQ: It's cold and flu season — and COVID season! It's certainly true that the flu did not spread much last year: Just.2% of respiratory specimens from clinical labs and public health departments participating in national disease surveillance tested positive for flu during the 2020-2021 season, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, compared to between 26.2% …

Study shows Covid variants getting better at travelling through air
3 years, 2 months ago

Study shows Covid variants getting better at travelling through air

Hindustan Times  

A study conducted by researchers of the University of Maryland shows that the SARS-CoV-2, responsible for causing Covid-19, is becoming better at becoming airborne with the emergence of new variants. A lone passenger wearing a protective face mask walks from a deserted train platform at Flinders Street during morning commute hours on the first day of a lockdown as the …

Covid-19 virus evolving to get better at becoming airborne: Report
3 years, 3 months ago

Covid-19 virus evolving to get better at becoming airborne: Report

India Today  

The variants of SARS-CoV-2 are getting better at travelling through the air, and people must wear tight-fitting masks and ensure better ventilation, in addition to getting vaccinated, to help stop spread of the virus that causes Covid-19, according to a study. The study, published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, also found that loose-fitting cloth and surgical masks reduced the …

Reusable Cloth Masks May Be Effective Up to a Year, Study Finds
3 years, 3 months ago

Reusable Cloth Masks May Be Effective Up to a Year, Study Finds

News 18  

Reusable cloth masks may be effective up to a year, as washing and drying does not reduce their ability to filter out viral particles, according to a study. The study found that the cotton cloth masks filtered out up to 23 per cent of the smallest particle size of 0.3 microns on which the virus can travel. In comparison, cotton …

Can a face mask really neutralize the covid-19 virus?
3 years, 3 months ago

Can a face mask really neutralize the covid-19 virus?

Live Mint  

Researchers at the National Autonomous University of Mexico have created a facemask using silver and copper nanolayers that neutralizes SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, the university's official gazette said on Thursday. To test the mask, researchers took drops with the virus from COVID-19-positive patients at the Hospital Juarez in Mexico and placed them on the silver-copper film deposited in …

Can the same mask used against COVID-19, keep me safe from the wildfire smoke?
3 years, 4 months ago

Can the same mask used against COVID-19, keep me safe from the wildfire smoke?

Firstpost  

Keep your house as protected from smoke as possible by keeping the windows closed and use a portable air cleaner. Research published last week found that weakened immune response caused by exposure to wildfire smoke last summer could be associated with thousands of additional infections and hundreds of deaths from COVID-19. Although smoke exposure and the coronavirus pose similar risks, …

Novel face mask developed by MIT, Harvard can detect COVID-19 infection
3 years, 5 months ago

Novel face mask developed by MIT, Harvard can detect COVID-19 infection

Deccan Chronicle  

Boston: Researchers at MIT and Harvard University have designed a new face mask that can diagnose if the wearer is infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19, within 90 minutes. The mask design, described in the journal Nature Biotechnology, has embedded tiny, disposable sensors that can be fitted into other face masks, and could also be adapted to detect …

Forget Painful Nose Swabs, This Face Mask Can Do Covid-19 Test For You
3 years, 5 months ago

Forget Painful Nose Swabs, This Face Mask Can Do Covid-19 Test For You

News 18  

Scientists at Harvard University and MIT have developed an “inexpensive” face mask that can detect coronavirus from the wearer’s breath and give results within 90 minutes. “We have essentially shrunk an entire diagnostic laboratory down into a small, synthetic biology-based sensor that works with any face mask, and combines the high accuracy of PCR tests with the speed and low …

Coronavirus more likely to spread indoors through maskless interaction: Study
3 years, 6 months ago

Coronavirus more likely to spread indoors through maskless interaction: Study

India TV News  

Speaking in indoor spaces without wearing a mask poses the greatest risk of spreading SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, to others, a study has found. The research, published in the Journal of Internal Medicine on Tuesday, describes how different sized respiratory droplets emitted while speaking have a range of sizes, and can carry different amounts of virus. "When the …

How and Why Face Masks are Effective in Limiting the Spread of Covid-19
3 years, 7 months ago

How and Why Face Masks are Effective in Limiting the Spread of Covid-19

News 18  

Researchers have found under which conditions and in which ways, masks actually reduce individual and population-average risks of being infected with Covid-19 and help mitigate the coronavirus pandemic. The study, led by researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Germany’s Mainz, showed that in most environments and situations, even simple surgical masks effectively reduce the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 …

COVID 19: Which mask is best for you and correct way to wear them | Explained by WHO
3 years, 7 months ago

COVID 19: Which mask is best for you and correct way to wear them | Explained by WHO

India TV News  

Ever since the coronavirus pandemic began, the government, celebrities, influencers and everybody around has been asking all to wear masks. Many may have questions regarding masks like what fabric is best, should one wear it while exercising and the difference between different kind of masks. Apart from these, WHO recommends medical masks for people above 60 and those with underlying …

Wearing 2 masks doubles protection against Covid-19 virus: Scientists
3 years, 8 months ago

Wearing 2 masks doubles protection against Covid-19 virus: Scientists

India TV News  

Scientists now report that wearing two face coverings can nearly double the effectiveness of filtering out SARS-CoV-2-sized particles, preventing them from reaching the wearer's nose and mouth and causing Covid-19. "The medical procedure masks are designed to have very good filtration potential based on their material, but the way they fit our faces isn't perfect," said Emily Sickbert-Bennett, associate professor …

Covid-19: Is your face mask made from the right material?
3 years, 8 months ago

Covid-19: Is your face mask made from the right material?

Live Mint  

Atlanta, Georgia: Wearing a face mask can protect yourself and others from covid-19, but the type of material and how many fabric layers used can significantly affect exposure risk, found a new study from the Georgia Institute of Technology. "A submicron particle can stay in the air for hours and days, depending on the ventilation, so if you have a …

Anti-viral coating on face masks may kill coronavirus, UK study finds
3 years, 10 months ago

Anti-viral coating on face masks may kill coronavirus, UK study finds

India TV News  

Scientists at the University of Cambridge working with an anti-viral coating technology called DioX believe that it could protect facemask users by killing the deadly coronavirus in as little as an hour. According to ‘The Daily Telegraph’, the invisible coating on facemasks attacks the virus by rapturing its outer layer, effectively eliminating all new mutant variants, including the UK’s so-called …

Opinion: America needs better masks to fight Covid-19
3 years, 10 months ago

Opinion: America needs better masks to fight Covid-19

CNN  

Editor’s Note: Abraar Karan and Ranu Dhillon are global health physicians at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. CNN — On Wednesday night, Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Joe Biden’s top medical adviser on Covid-19, and Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, were asked at a CNN town hall whether the Biden …

Why You Should Double-Mask To Prevent COVID-19 (And How To Do It)
3 years, 10 months ago

Why You Should Double-Mask To Prevent COVID-19 (And How To Do It)

Huff Post  

As COVID continues to rapidly spread through the country ― especially now with omicron in the picture ― it might be time to upgrade your face mask strategy. The research suggests that wearing one medical grade mask — such as a surgical mask — underneath a cloth mask significantly boosts protection against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Here’s everything …

You Might be More at Risk From Reused Face Masks Than Not Wearing One, Study Finds
4 years ago

You Might be More at Risk From Reused Face Masks Than Not Wearing One, Study Finds

News 18  

With face masks becoming one of the most prominent shields to keep coronavirus at bay, wearing one has become mandatory across the world. But now, researchers have also stumbled upon some findings that say wearing a used mask is less effective at protecting one against the virus than not wearing one, a Daily Mail report said. Associate professor of biomedical …

Design of Face Masks Crucial in Breaking the Chain of Coronavirus. Here's Why
4 years ago

Design of Face Masks Crucial in Breaking the Chain of Coronavirus. Here's Why

News 18  

Researchers, including one from Indian-origin, stressed that materials, design and length of face masks are important to help slow the spread of Covid-19. “The results suggest that the consistent use of efficient face masks, such as surgical masks, could lead to the eradication of the pandemic if at least 70 per cent of the residents use such masks in public …

Design of masks important to slow Covid spread: Study
4 years ago

Design of masks important to slow Covid spread: Study

India TV News  

Researchers, including one from Indian-origin, stressed that materials, design and length of face masks are important to help slow the spread of Covid-19. "The results suggest that the consistent use of efficient face masks, such as surgical masks, could lead to the eradication of the pandemic if at least 70 per cent of the residents use such masks in public …

Coronavirus FAQ: How Do I Clean My Mask — Washing Machine? Oven? Broccoli Steamer?
4 years, 1 month ago

Coronavirus FAQ: How Do I Clean My Mask — Washing Machine? Oven? Broccoli Steamer?

NPR  

Coronavirus FAQ: How Do I Clean My Mask — Washing Machine? The jury is still out on exactly how important it is to wash your mask to prevent COVID-19 infection, but MacIntyre dug into some data from her 2015 study on cloth masks and found evidence that washing masks in a machine, instead of by hand, helps prevent infections of …

Would you wear a heated face mask that kills coronaviruses?
4 years, 1 month ago

Would you wear a heated face mask that kills coronaviruses?

Live Mint  

It’s one of the biggest debates that will refuse to die down even after the covid-19 pandemic subsides. The researchers at MIT are following a completely new concept of a face mask that users a heated copper mesh that would inactivate viruses, rather than filtering them. “As the person wearing the mask breathes in and out, air flows repeatedly across …

Novel Coronavirus Can Survive on Skin for 9 Hours, Much Longer Than Flu Viruses: Study
4 years, 2 months ago

Novel Coronavirus Can Survive on Skin for 9 Hours, Much Longer Than Flu Viruses: Study

News 18  

The SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, may linger on human skin for nine hours, much longer than the flu viruses can, according to a study. The influenza A virus, in contrast, remained viable on human skin for nearly two hours, said the researchers including those from Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine in Japan. “We generated a model that allows the …

Novel coronavirus can survive on skin for 9 hours: Study
4 years, 2 months ago

Novel coronavirus can survive on skin for 9 hours: Study

India TV News  

The SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, may linger on human skin for nine hours, much longer than the flu viruses can, according to a study. The influenza A virus, in contrast, remained viable on human skin for nearly two hours, said the researchers including those from Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine in Japan. "We generated a model that allows the …

New study reveals COVID-19 virus can stay active on skin for nine hours, flu for 1.8 hours
4 years, 2 months ago

New study reveals COVID-19 virus can stay active on skin for nine hours, flu for 1.8 hours

Firstpost  

For the study, the researchers applied 5 µL aliquots of either the flu virus or SARS-CoV-2 on various surfaces - skin, stainless steel, borosilicate glass, and polystyrene. Now, a group of researchers in Japan claim that SARS-CoV-2 can survive for up to nine hours on human skin as compared to the flu virus that is only stable for about 1.8 …

Covid-19: New coronavirus can last 9 hours on skin; breathing with mask does not alter oxygen level
4 years, 2 months ago

Covid-19: New coronavirus can last 9 hours on skin; breathing with mask does not alter oxygen level

India Today  

The new coronavirus can survive many hours on human skin if left undisturbed, a new study has found. Read: Jamia Millia Islamia researchers develop saliva-based home testing kit Breathing with face masks does not affect lungs Researchers have said the average face mask may be uncomfortable but does not limit the flow of oxygen to the lungs, even in people …

Coronavirus can survive for up to NINE HOURS on human skin
4 years, 2 months ago

Coronavirus can survive for up to NINE HOURS on human skin

Daily Mail  

The novel coronavirus can survive for up to several hours on human skin, a new study suggests. Researchers mixed samples of the coronavirus and influenza A virus with human skin samples obtained from autopsies 24 hours prior The flu virus survived for less than two hours on the skin cells while the coronavirus lived for up to nine hours Both …

Proper homemade masks also effective against Covid spread: Rotterdam researchers
4 years, 2 months ago

Proper homemade masks also effective against Covid spread: Rotterdam researchers

NL Times  

A homemade face mask can work well against the spread of the coronavirus, as long as it is properly made and contains some form of filter material, according to a study by Erasmus MC in Rotterdam. Filter material used in ventilation systems work best, but kitchen paper also makes an effective filter, researcher Gwen Teesing said to Het Parool. The …

Researchers combine heat and humidity to disinfect N95 masks for reuse
4 years, 2 months ago

Researchers combine heat and humidity to disinfect N95 masks for reuse

Live Mint  

Healthcare workers, facing the shortage of protective equipment such as N95 masks, are left with no other option but to reuse their gear, thus increasing the risk of spreading coronavirus infection. However, there may be help on the way as researchers at the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University and the University of Texas Medical Branch have …

Researchers Combine Heat and Humidity to Disinfect N95 Masks For Reuse
4 years, 2 months ago

Researchers Combine Heat and Humidity to Disinfect N95 Masks For Reuse

News 18  

Healthcare workers, facing the shortage of protective equipment such as N95 masks, are left with no other option but to reuse their gear, thus increasing the risk of spreading coronavirus infection. However, there may be help on the way as researchers at the Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University and the University of Texas Medical Branch have …

Study Finds out New Technique of Disinfecting N-95 Masks Without Hampering Virus-filter Ability
4 years, 2 months ago

Study Finds out New Technique of Disinfecting N-95 Masks Without Hampering Virus-filter Ability

News 18  

Using a combination of moderate heat and high relative humidity, researchers were able to disinfect N95 mask materials without hampering their ability to filter out viruses, including Covid-19. “The ability to decontaminate several of these masks while doctors are having a coffee break will lessen the chance that masks contaminated with Covid viruses would expose other patients,” said study author …

How Effective Are Homemade Fabric Masks Against the Spread of Covid-19?
4 years, 3 months ago

How Effective Are Homemade Fabric Masks Against the Spread of Covid-19?

News 18  

To reduce the transmission of COVID-19, precautionary measures like washing hands with soap and water, using sanitisers, maintaining physical distance and wearing a mask are extremely necessary. Determining the effectiveness of homemade masks Aerosols are tiny particles that are less than 5 micrometres in size and can be as small as 100 nanometres, whereas the larger droplets are around one …

Face masks: Check out which coverings offer sufficient protection and which do not work against Covid-19
4 years, 3 months ago

Face masks: Check out which coverings offer sufficient protection and which do not work against Covid-19

Hindustan Times  

While the hunt for a vaccine against the novel coronavirus continues, researchers across the world have been evaluating the best materials for filtering Covid-19, especially protective gears like face masks. Face masks that work and do not work against Covid-19 A face mask comes handy not only because it blocks the large respiratory droplets from coughs or sneezes and prevents …

Single-use N95 Respirators Can Be Used Again After Decontamination Due to Covid19, Study Says
4 years, 3 months ago

Single-use N95 Respirators Can Be Used Again After Decontamination Due to Covid19, Study Says

News 18  

N95 respirators, which are widely worn by health care workers treating COVID-19 patients, and are designed to be used only once, can be decontaminated effectively and worn up to three times, according to a new study that could help reuse these scarce resources amidst the pandemic. “Although N95 respirators are designed for just one use before disposal, in times of …

Indian Scientists Find N-95 Masks to be Most Effective at Stopping Covid-19 Spread
4 years, 3 months ago

Indian Scientists Find N-95 Masks to be Most Effective at Stopping Covid-19 Spread

News 18  

N95 masks may be the most effective at reducing the spread of the novel coronavirus, according a study by researchers, including those from the Indian Space Research Organisation, which suggests that any mask is better than no mask at preventing COVID-19. The N95 masks reduced a cough’s initial velocity by up to a factor of 10, and limit its spread …

Coronavirus | The latecomer’s guide to face masks
4 years, 4 months ago

Coronavirus | The latecomer’s guide to face masks

The Hindu  

If you’re confused with all the information about what mask to wear, and how COVID-19 is transmitted in the first place, you’re like most people who have a dozen masks around the house, with no clarity on what works best. Even if everyone around you is wearing a mask, the World Health Organization has not ruled out aerosol transmission in …

Doctors fear 'unacceptable risk' on Melbourne coronavirus ward without specialist N95 masks
4 years, 4 months ago

Doctors fear 'unacceptable risk' on Melbourne coronavirus ward without specialist N95 masks

ABC  

Doctors on Australia's coronavirus frontline at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne believe they are at unacceptable risk because they do not have adequate protective equipment, forcing some to steal specialised masks from other areas of the hospital or buy their own. Key points: Doctors at the Alfred who care for COVID-19 patients want N95 masks which provide the "best level …

Face masks and COVID-19: All you need to know
4 years, 4 months ago

Face masks and COVID-19: All you need to know

Al Jazeera  

We take a look at the different types of masks and how best to use them to stay safe and curb the spread of coronavirus. Several countries around the world have made the use of face masks mandatory in public to help curb the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. While some people have opted to …

There are many myths about using face masks in the coronavirus pandemic. Here's what we know about them
4 years, 5 months ago

There are many myths about using face masks in the coronavirus pandemic. Here's what we know about them

ABC  

From August 3, it will be mandatory to wear a mask or face covering across all of Victoria when leaving home. Some of the lawful excuses not to wear a mask listed by the Victorian DHHS include: If you are affected by a relevant medical condition If you are communicating with a person who is hearing-impaired, where the ability to …

N95 masks with valves 'detrimental' to curb the spread of COVID-19: Health Ministry letter to states
4 years, 5 months ago

N95 masks with valves 'detrimental' to curb the spread of COVID-19: Health Ministry letter to states

Firstpost  

Masks like the N95 filters in clean air that the user inhales but the valves release exhaled, contaminated air back into the environment. In a letter addressed to the letter to all states and union territories, the Director-General of Health Services in the Ministry of Health Dr Rajiv Garg, has warned against the “inappropriate use” of N95 masks, particularly ones …

Advice on using face masks during the coronavirus pandemic has changed — here's what you need to know
4 years, 5 months ago

Advice on using face masks during the coronavirus pandemic has changed — here's what you need to know

ABC  

There's been a lot of talk about the use of face masks since the coronavirus outbreak was declared a pandemic way back in March. But Australian health experts have not been recommending healthy people wear face masks and have warned wearing them incorrectly can put us at risk during the pandemic. It says: Touching the mask during use or when …

How to make a mask to wear during the coronavirus pandemic as Victoria battles to contain COVID-19 outbreak
4 years, 5 months ago

How to make a mask to wear during the coronavirus pandemic as Victoria battles to contain COVID-19 outbreak

ABC  

Authorities have told residents of Metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire that if they can't keep 1.5 metres from people in the coming weeks, they should wear a mask. Some material — cotton is preferable and make sure there is enough to create several layers about 25cm x 15cm each Some material — cotton is preferable and make sure there is …

Scientists Plan To Urge WHO To Take Airborne Spread Of Coronavirus More Seriously
4 years, 5 months ago

Scientists Plan To Urge WHO To Take Airborne Spread Of Coronavirus More Seriously

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING A group of 239 scientists plans to urge the World Health Organization to more seriously consider the threat that the novel coronavirus may be spread by microscopic particles in the air. The New York Times first reported Saturday that an international coalition of researchers will publish an open letter asking WHO to address airborne transmission of the …

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