To help prevent the spread of Covid-19, Kiwis are encouraged to wear a face covering in public.
Yet many of us are unclear on which masks best prevent transmission of the virus and how to wear them for maximum protection.
With the Omicron variant now on our doorstep, the New Zealand government needs to step up and urgently implement a national mark strategy, says Wellington-based epidemiologist Dr Lucy Telfar-Barnard.
A woman in an N95 face mask Photo: Griffin Wooldridge / Unsplash
- Related: Preparation for Omicron should include securing the supply of good-quality P2 or N95 masks for all New Zealanders - researcher
Dr Lucy Telfar-Barnard Photo: Supplied
"We have had slow information about masks over the course of the pandemic… and people do really want good information about when to wear masks, what sort of masks to wear and about the quality of the masks that they're buying," Dr Telfar-Barnard tells Wallace Chapman.
"If you go out and buy a cloth mask, you've got no idea what level of filtration that's providing. Those things all need to be brought in under a mask strategy so people know where to get that information… and know whether a mask is going to meet their needs."
Vaccination is our first line of defence against Covid-19, she says, but the Omicron variant can break through vaccination more easily than the Delta variant so wearing an effective face mask will soon become even more important.
The most effective face mask for the general public to wear is a well-fitted N95 or P2, Dr Telfar-Barnard says.
These masks are tested to meet a high standard of filtration and also have an electrostatic coating that helps to repel airborne particles.
They're also able to provide "a really good seal" on most faces.
A man in a KN95 mask Photo: Zain Ali from Pexels
The KN95 mask - which is similar to the N95 - is tested to Chinese filtration standards which aren't as rigorous, she says.
KN95s tend to have ear ties instead of ear straps so often don't fit as snugly, and there are also many fake KN95s available that most people wouldn't have the knowledge to spot.
To ensure all New Zealanders can access the most effective masks - P2 and N95 - the government needs to secure a supply chain, Dr Telfar-Barnard says.
While New Zealanders wait for more accessibility, she suggests people look at what they're doing to protect themselves and others against the virus and see how they can increase that.
Surgical face masks are a good option and more effective than cloth masks, even after several washes, she says. (Replace them when they start to look grubby or the straps get loose.)
These can be adjusted to fit better, and therefore made more effective, with the knot & tuck method:
Cloth masks can be a good option if they are well-fitting and contain a filter, Dr Telfar-Barnard says.
But be aware they won't protect you from passing on or contracting the virus for as long a period as a surgical mask will.
"If both people are not wearing masks, transmission can happen within 15 minutes. If you're both wearing your average cloth mask that extends out to about 25 minutes. Once you put on surgicals, you're getting out to maybe an hour. And a really well-fitted P2 or N95 that can stretch out to 6.5 hours before you'll transmit between people if you're both wearing them. So it really does make a difference on both sides of the equation."
Dr Lucy Telfar-Barnard is one of the New Zealand academics who contributed to a recent article urging the government to "ensure the appropriate use of masks".
