Ffp2 masks, how much do they protect us from Omicron and Covid? – Corriere.it

the Ffp22 Positions they became Mandatory in Italy in certain contexts Like on planes and trains where the stay can be long and even In public transport Where distancing cannot be guaranteed, as well as in cinemas, theaters and stadiums.

But Ffp2 masks really defend us from Covid-19, and in particular from the alternative Omicron is highly contagious?

The answer has been confirmed by numerous studies, including recent studies.

FFP stands for Face Filter and Face Filter and according to European standards, efficiency ranges from 1 to 3. Ffp2 filters an average of 94% of all aerosols (between 92 and 98%), Including airborne viruses Like Covid-19.

These masks Single use (wearable eight hours before changing it) cIt consists of several layers of different fabrics, including a file polypropylene filter Capable of trapping even the smallest airborne particles.

Ffp2 (and the most performing Ffp3) has cHigher filtering capacity than ordinary surgical masks (which retains only the largest aerosol particles for the wearer: in short, protects others, much more than the wearer) In addition to protecting others, it also protects the wearer and is particularly suitable for enclosed or crowded spaces, where the risk of transmissibility is higher.

Ffp2 masks have a high filtration capacity at the port and towards the wearer (more than 90%), in contrast to surgical masks which reach a maximum of 20% at the entrance, and therefore are rarely effective for the wearer to protect themselves.

Like surgical masks The effectiveness of Ffp2 depends on how you wear it. A study published in December of Max Planck Institute, a German research organization, quoted byeconomic, make it clear that if you take it Two people three meters away from each other, one not vaccinated and one positive for Covid, in less than five minutes Someone who does not have the vaccine will get infected with 100% certainty..

But if the same people wear Ffp2 masks correctly The risk of contracting the virus is reduced to 0.1%..

In detail whether a person with coronavirus and non-infected person wears well-fitting Ffp2 masks, The maximum risk of infection after 20 minutes is just over one in a thousand, even at a shorter distance.

If the masks are worn incorrectly, the probability of infection increases to about 4%, however, the risk of infection is significantly reduced.

Another recent study was published in Internal medicine jam Comparing the filtration capabilities of different types of masks, it was discovered that the cloth or surgical masks had an efficiency of containing viral particles between 26% and 79% while Ffp2 had a filtration capacity of 98, 4%.

The problem of Ffp2 that in addition to being expensive is also more stressful to wear, They are less tolerant and make breathing more difficult.

To overcome the problem, those who have valve Which ensures greater comfort for the wearer, although it does not protect the people around them and therefore will have a function opposite to that of surgical ones.