What is the effectiveness of the Ffp2 masks
The decree approved by the government to combat the increase in infections has made it mandatory on means of transport and in indoor places, such as theaters and cinemas, but what is special about the Ffp2 mask? Here are the efficacy studies
The Festivity decree approved yesterday evening by the Council of Ministers to deal with the spread of the Omicron variant also in our country and avoid the obligation to swab – even for vaccinated people – in certain events and situations made the use of Ffp2 masks mandatory indoors such as museums, cinemas, theaters and for sporting events, and means of transport, both local and long-distance.
That's why the Ffp2.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MASK
As the Minister of Health Roberto Speranza underlined yesterday, "numerous scientific studies confirm the great importance of masks and it grows in the presence of a variant that has shown a significant ability to increase the infection".
THE OPINION OF THE CTS
"As Cts we shared the idea of imposing the use of the Ffp2 on public transport, in the cinema or in the theater, as well as in all closed places, where there is less air exchange and the stay in suspension of the virus is highest. However, I recommend Ffp2 in all confined environments: it protects ourselves, as well as others ", said Fabio Ciciliano, doctor of the Civil Protection and of the State Police, for almost two years a member of the Technical Scientific Committee (Cts), to the newspaper The Press .
WHAT THE ISS SAYS
The so-called "Ffp", whose acronym stands for "filtering face piece particles" are considered by the Higher Institute of Health (ISS) high protection masks. These devices, the site reads , protect both the wearer and others. They are divided into the protection classes Ffp2 and Ffp3, according to their filtering efficiency.
The Ffp2 have a high filtering power and, in addition to not allowing the transmission of microorganisms (viruses and bacteria) to nearby people and the environment, they also protect the wearer from the risk of being infected by people or the surrounding environment. The Ffp3s offer the maximum possible filtering protection.
HOW MUCH THEY PROTECT
According to reports from the National Federation of Orders of Nursing Professions (Fnopi), an Ffp1 mask lets through 20% of the aerosol flow dispersed in the air, the Ffp2 6% and the Ffp3%. The ISS in its guidelines has always advised to use especially the Ffp2 because they are easier to find and wear, while the Ffp3 should be used in the room of a positive patient "at risk of generating aerosols", for example intubation .
WHAT THE EU LEGISLATION PROVIDES FOR
To be authorized and marketed within the European Union, these protective devices must comply with the requirements of the technical standard UNI EN 149: 2009, which provides that the Ffp2 filter at least 94% of the suspended particles, allowing less than 8 % of the air coming from outside.
HOW EFFECTIVE ARE THEY
A study by the German institute Max Planck cited by the Economist explained that if you take two people who are three meters away from each other, one not vaccinated and the other positive for Covid, in less than five minutes the person without vaccine will be infected with almost 100% certainty. However, if the same two people wear the Ffp2 mask correctly, the risk of contracting the virus is reduced to 0.1%.
A study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine also compared the filtering capabilities of different types of masks and the Ffp2 reached 98.4%, the highest level of defense.
DIFFERENCE OF PROTECTION BETWEEN SURGICAL AND FFP2
The Irccs San Raffaele Hospital states that the Ffp2 masks have a high filtering power at the exit and towards the wearer (over 90%), unlike the surgical masks which reach a maximum of 20% at the entrance.
And even Mario Balzanelli , national president of the 118 System interviewed by the Huffpost said: "Surgery is effective in protecting others from ourselves but it is ineffective in protecting us from others: it is a sieve".
TIME OF USE OF FFP2
The IRCCS also clarifies that the Ffp2 are disposable and should be worn for a maximum of 7-8 consecutive hours.
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/sanita/che-cosa-dicono-gli-studi-efficacia-delle-mascherine-ffp2/ on Fri, 24 Dec 2021 12:05:47 +0000.