Wearing a mask is one of the most effective and feasible means of personal protection in the face of a new coronavirus epidemic, in addition to staying out of the house as much as possible. However, the consumer's doubts about the mask are always endless: the mask bought without packaging information is fake? How to choose imported masks? How to choose a children's mask? ... ... In order to help the majority of consumers to buy correctly, scientific use of masks, buy with peace of mind, the Guangdong Provincial Market Supervision Administration for the current market situation of masks, the preparation of this consumer guide.
I. Definition and classification of masks
(a) Definition: The mask is generally worn on the mouth and nose to filter the air in the import and export of the nose, in order to block harmful gases, odors, droplets in and out of the mouth and nose of the wearer's appliances, usually made of gauze or non-woven cloth.
(ii) Classification: masks are divided into medical and non-medical masks.
Medical masks include medical protective masks, medical-surgical masks, single-use medical masks.
Non-medical masks include industrial dust masks (e.g. KN95/KN90), daily protective masks, general masks.
III. Appearance and material structure of the mask
(i) Appearance
According to the shape of the mask, it can be classified as flat, duck-billed, arch, or butterfly.
Automatic image transfer
According to the type of wear, it can be rear-mounted, strapped or head-mounted.
Automatic image transfer
(ii) Material structure
Medical grade masks with effective protection against viruses are made of spun bond and melt-blown nonwovens. Often said three layers of medical masks, the main structure is also known as SMS structure, from the outside to the inside is the outer anti-wet layer (spunbond layer, referred to as the Slayer), intermediate filtration adsorption layer (melt spray layer, referred to as the M layer) and the inner layer of the skin (spunbond layer, referred to as the S layer). The SMS structure is only the most basic requirement for medical masks, some masks may also be SMMMS structure (2 layers of S and 3 layers of M), the core of the melt spray layer may have multiple layers. The melt spray cloth is known as the "heart" of the mask because of its good filtering, barrier, thermal insulation and adsorption properties. The exclusive raw material for meltblown fabrics is polypropylene with a high melt index, unlike other raw materials normally used in the production of nonwovens. Since the meltblown cloth fibers are very fine (about 1/30th the size of a hair) and have electrostatic adsorption, small particles such as dust and droplets are easily intercepted by the meltblown cloth.
Automatic image transfer
Structure and function of the mask (Image source: Centre for Health Protection, HKSAR Government)
There is a difference between a respiratory valve and a non-respiratory valve for masks. A mask without a respiratory valve can act as two-way protection by blocking the spread of droplets from talking, coughing, or sneezing, either to yourself or others, protecting yourself from infection while also preventing others from being infected. The mask with breathing valve has less breathing resistance, but basically can only ensure that the mask wearer himself breathes the purified air, but can not filter his own exhausted turbid air, there is a risk of external transmission of the virus, can only play a one-way protection role to protect himself. That's why medical protective masks generally don't come with a breathing valve.
In general, the better the seal, the better the mask protection. In general, the protective effect of the mask is strong to weak: medical protective mask > N95/KN95 mask (no breathing valve) > medical-surgical mask > disposable medical mask > daily protection type mask. However, the respiratory resistance of a well-tightened mask will increase accordingly.
IV. Selection and purchase of masks
(A) medical masks to buy and identify
The first is to look at the implementation criteria. Some products claim to implement the enterprise standard (YZB) developed by the enterprise itself, it is also possible, in principle, the technical requirements of the enterprise standard is not less than the national standard (GB) or industry-standard (YY).
The second is to look at the registration card number. According to the provisions of the medical device licensing regulatory medical masks should be marked on the outer packaging of the product registration number. The number of rules are usually: X armed registration (X is the abbreviation of each province, such as E, Zhejiang, Guangdong and so on) + registration year + 264 (said to belong to two categories of medical devices 64 classifications) + number.
Automatic image transfer
Can be found and identified through the State Drug Administration website. The specific steps to be followed are as follows.
1. Log in to the official website of the State Drug Administration
2. Click "Medical Device" in the "Inquiry" column, and select whether it is a domestic device or an imported device according to the product origin.
3. Enter the registration certificate number, that is, the above-mentioned X-armor endorsement +201XXXXXXXXXX.
4. Select the corresponding product according to the origin.
5. Point into the main product name, if the display is "single-use medical mask", "medical-surgical mask" or "medical protective mask", then it belongs to the scope of medical masks; if not contain the word "medical", like writing "disposable non-woven mask" "general protective mask" and so on do not contain the word "medical", do not belong to the official registration of medical masks.
(B) Non-medical mask purchase and identification
1. To see whether the product identification and packaging related information and requirements are complete and accurate. For example, the implementation of the standard GB 2626-2006 KN/KP series of masks, first of all, the product should be marked on the product name, trademark, model, the implementation of the standard and other information, in addition, should also be marked filter media level, level with a standard number and filter level combination of ways to mark, such as GB 2626-2006 KN90, and general filter media level is only: KN90, KN95, KN100, KP90, KP95, KP100 six levels. In addition to the above information on the product, at least the minimum sales package should be clearly and permanently marked in Chinese with the product license number, production date or production batch number, storage life, recommended storage conditions, etc. The implementation of the standard for GB/T 32610-2016 daily protective masks require that each mask should be sealed packaging, each packaging unit should have an inspection certificate, in addition to marking the manufacturer, name, specifications, implementation standards, protective effect level, instructions for use (wearing method, cautions, etc.), should also mark the main raw materials of the product (inner layer, outer layer, filter layer), date of production, recommended use time and the storage period, disinfection methods (such as taking disinfection), etc.
2. See if the standards match. If the product name and the implementation standard do not match, please choose carefully. The daily protection haze mask (PM2.5 mask) implementation standard is GB/T 32610-2016; industrial dust mask (KN95/KN90) implementation standard is GB 2626-2006. KN95 refers to non-oily particulate matter filtration efficiency ≥95%, with this type of mask can also achieve the effect or requirements of droplet prevention; and people often say that the N95 mask is in line with the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) set the standard of the United States, the United States N95 and domestic KN95 standard is equivalent.
(C) The purchase and identification of children's masks
The children over 1 year old should wear masks when they go out, parents should choose the appropriate mask according to the age of the baby. Because children are in the growth and development stage, and the face is small, wearing an adult mask is generally difficult to achieve the effect of close, it is recommended to choose the regular manufacturers of child protection masks. Due to the great variability of children's physical characteristics, the medical data and experimental data on the impact of respiratory resistance on children's growth are still to be perfected, so there is no specific provision for children's masks in the current standards in China, and at present, China has not yet introduced standards specifically for children's masks.
(D) The purchase and identification of imported masks
Import masks to see the product logo. In principle, imported masks sold in the domestic market should be marked with the corresponding product information in Chinese. To buy or order mask products from abroad, be sure to choose a formal channel, reliable sources and guarantee the quality of the product. At the same time, from abroad to buy the mask, first look at the product logo, may not have the Chinese logo logo, according to the product on the public information to the database, but also to the relevant regulatory bodies in foreign countries, the official website of the certification body to check the product registration and certification information, registration number can not be found is certainly a fake and shoddy products. If you want to know if the imported N95 you are buying is a regular product, you can see the CDC website to see if the company name and model number of the product match. Only the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved N95 is medical N95, and different countries and regions have their own standards, such as N series is the U.S. standard, KF series is the Korean standard, FFP series is the European standard, DS series is the Japanese standard, P series is the Australian standard, the larger the number of protection level is also the higher.
V. Selection of masks
The types of masks used in different scenarios vary from population to population. In principle, it is best to use medical-surgical masks, dustproof masks with KN90 or more, but in the environment without a confirmed or suspected patient, the use of ordinary disposable medical masks can be. However, if you go to the hospital, it is best to upgrade the protection level, and it is recommended to use the medical-surgical, KN95 mask or a higher protection level mask. As the actual epidemic varies from place to place, the public can refer to the "Guidelines for the Use of Pneumonia Mask for the Prevention of Novel Coronavirus Infection" issued by the Disease Prevention and Control Bureau of the National Health Committee of the State Health Care Commission and choose to use the mask according to their own situation. The specific guidelines are as follows.
General mask: the material is generally cotton knitted cloth, gauze, etc., mainly used for windproof and warm, can only filter larger particles, can block some droplets, but the filtration efficiency is very low, can not play an effective role in protecting against viruses, is not recommended for epidemic protection.
Everyday protective masks: It is mainly suitable for protective masks worn in daily life under air pollution environment to filter out particles. For example, it is often said that PM2.5 haze mask can effectively filter PM2.5 particles in hazy weather, its main feature is good filtration performance, but its breathability is poor. Although it is not a medical mask, considering that it is the same as the KN95 series of masks, also has a better filtration and microbial barrier, so it can also be used in the same way as the KN95 series of masks, where the protection levels C and D can be compared to KN95 and KN90 masks, respectively.
Industrial dust mask (KN90/KN95 type mask): the characteristics of the suction part has a multi-layer protector or multi-layer sandwich, generally used for labor protection in the working environment, such as painting, cement, sand, processing of iron dust, soot and other working environment has a large amount of dust, can effectively protect the use of inhalation dust, is a special category of work within the national mandatory requirements for the use of work units. According to the filtration performance can be divided into KN (only for filtering non-oily particles) and KP (for filtering oily particles), the particle barrier ability is the same as the medical protective mask, but does not have the medical protective mask in the protection of body fluids or blood spatter function, so in the medical environment, should be careful to use N95 or KN95 mask, emergency, medical protective mask shortage, but also as a supplement to the medical personnel protective masks. For the general public, KN95 masks can be used when going to densely populated closed public places (such as stations, airports, supermarkets) or hospitals.
Disposable medical masks: for the general public in densely populated public places, indoor workplaces with relatively large numbers of people, such as people visiting medical institutions, employees returning from work in enterprises, etc.
Medical-surgical masks: recommended for use by medical personnel working in general outpatient clinics, wards, staff in densely populated areas, administrative, police, security, courier and other personnel involved in epidemic-related work, as well as by medium-risk groups such as those living in isolation and with them.
Medical protective masks: The use of medical protective masks is recommended for some high-risk groups (e.g. emergency medical personnel, medical personnel testing samples related to the epidemic, etc.) and high-risk groups (fever clinics in epidemic areas, medical personnel in isolation wards, etc.).
Children's masks: For children over 1 year old, it is recommended to use children's protective masks made by regular manufacturers. If there is no child mask, given that the KN95 mask is not as comfortable and breathable as a flat mask, children can generally consider using disposable medical or surgical masks.
Imported masks: Due to the shortage of domestic masks, some imported masks can also achieve the same level of protection. Common ones such as N95, FFP2, DS2 and KF94 masks, comparable to domestic KN95 masks, can be used to protect against particulate matter, including the spread of pathogens such as viruses. Non-infection frontline personnel, wearing a mask above N90 can meet daily work life requirements, including protection against exposure in general public places. Among the imported masks, FFP2 or FFP3 (without respiratory valve), in accordance with ASTM F2100 Level 2 or Level 3 in the USA, or EN 149 in the EU, are available for use by front-line personnel.
6. Precautions for the purchase of masks
In order to avoid buying counterfeit and shoddy products as far as possible, consumers can pay attention to the following points when buying mask products.
1. Look at the appearance form. When selecting a mask, you should pay attention to check the appearance of the mask, the surface of the mask is neat and even, no damage and stains, the size corresponds to the size specified by the standard.
2. Look at the packaging information. Pay attention to the basic information of the mask products, in addition to the product name, specifications, manufacturers, the implementation of the standard number, product approval number, but also pay attention to the date of production and validity, the general mask is valid for two years. Also, it is best to have individual small packages. For masks temporarily imported directly from abroad, which may not be marked with the Chinese language logo, look out for the foreign logo on the outer packaging that meets the claimed standard level. In addition, some enterprises self-produced, e-commerce platform dedicated to the masks also began to be widely used, the identification of these products may not be complete, but should be able to trace back to the manufacturer, purchase or use should focus on the implementation of product standards, such as to view the relevant product quality inspection report is better.
3. Look at the feel of the material. Some masks imported from abroad and dismantled for sale do not have packaging information, which can be judged by the feel of the material of the mouthpiece. Counterfeit mask is generally thin, only one layer, or three layers, but the middle layer is not melt-sprayed non-woven fabric; formal qualified medical masks at least three layers, the outer layer feels relatively smooth, cut meeting to see the obvious three-layer structure, poor light transmission and can not see the obvious weaving silk.
I. Definition and classification of masks
(a) Definition: The mask is generally worn on the mouth and nose to filter the air in the import and export of the nose, in order to block harmful gases, odors, droplets in and out of the mouth and nose of the wearer's appliances, usually made of gauze or non-woven cloth.
(ii) Classification: masks are divided into medical and non-medical masks.
Medical masks include medical protective masks, medical-surgical masks, single-use medical masks.
Non-medical masks include industrial dust masks (e.g. KN95/KN90), daily protective masks, general masks.
III. Appearance and material structure of the mask
(i) Appearance
According to the shape of the mask, it can be classified as flat, duck-billed, arch, or butterfly.
Automatic image transfer
According to the type of wear, it can be rear-mounted, strapped or head-mounted.
Automatic image transfer
(ii) Material structure
Medical grade masks with effective protection against viruses are made of spun bond and melt-blown nonwovens. Often said three layers of medical masks, the main structure is also known as SMS structure, from the outside to the inside is the outer anti-wet layer (spunbond layer, referred to as the Slayer), intermediate filtration adsorption layer (melt spray layer, referred to as the M layer) and the inner layer of the skin (spunbond layer, referred to as the S layer). The SMS structure is only the most basic requirement for medical masks, some masks may also be SMMMS structure (2 layers of S and 3 layers of M), the core of the melt spray layer may have multiple layers. The melt spray cloth is known as the "heart" of the mask because of its good filtering, barrier, thermal insulation and adsorption properties. The exclusive raw material for meltblown fabrics is polypropylene with a high melt index, unlike other raw materials normally used in the production of nonwovens. Since the meltblown cloth fibers are very fine (about 1/30th the size of a hair) and have electrostatic adsorption, small particles such as dust and droplets are easily intercepted by the meltblown cloth.
Automatic image transfer
Structure and function of the mask (Image source: Centre for Health Protection, HKSAR Government)
There is a difference between a respiratory valve and a non-respiratory valve for masks. A mask without a respiratory valve can act as two-way protection by blocking the spread of droplets from talking, coughing, or sneezing, either to yourself or others, protecting yourself from infection while also preventing others from being infected. The mask with breathing valve has less breathing resistance, but basically can only ensure that the mask wearer himself breathes the purified air, but can not filter his own exhausted turbid air, there is a risk of external transmission of the virus, can only play a one-way protection role to protect himself. That's why medical protective masks generally don't come with a breathing valve.
In general, the better the seal, the better the mask protection. In general, the protective effect of the mask is strong to weak: medical protective mask > N95/KN95 mask (no breathing valve) > medical-surgical mask > disposable medical mask > daily protection type mask. However, the respiratory resistance of a well-tightened mask will increase accordingly.
IV. Selection and purchase of masks
(A) medical masks to buy and identify
The first is to look at the implementation criteria. Some products claim to implement the enterprise standard (YZB) developed by the enterprise itself, it is also possible, in principle, the technical requirements of the enterprise standard is not less than the national standard (GB) or industry-standard (YY).
The second is to look at the registration card number. According to the provisions of the medical device licensing regulatory medical masks should be marked on the outer packaging of the product registration number. The number of rules are usually: X armed registration (X is the abbreviation of each province, such as E, Zhejiang, Guangdong and so on) + registration year + 264 (said to belong to two categories of medical devices 64 classifications) + number.
Automatic image transfer
Can be found and identified through the State Drug Administration website. The specific steps to be followed are as follows.
1. Log in to the official website of the State Drug Administration
2. Click "Medical Device" in the "Inquiry" column, and select whether it is a domestic device or an imported device according to the product origin.
3. Enter the registration certificate number, that is, the above-mentioned X-armor endorsement +201XXXXXXXXXX.
4. Select the corresponding product according to the origin.
5. Point into the main product name, if the display is "single-use medical mask", "medical-surgical mask" or "medical protective mask", then it belongs to the scope of medical masks; if not contain the word "medical", like writing "disposable non-woven mask" "general protective mask" and so on do not contain the word "medical", do not belong to the official registration of medical masks.
(B) Non-medical mask purchase and identification
1. To see whether the product identification and packaging related information and requirements are complete and accurate. For example, the implementation of the standard GB 2626-2006 KN/KP series of masks, first of all, the product should be marked on the product name, trademark, model, the implementation of the standard and other information, in addition, should also be marked filter media level, level with a standard number and filter level combination of ways to mark, such as GB 2626-2006 KN90, and general filter media level is only: KN90, KN95, KN100, KP90, KP95, KP100 six levels. In addition to the above information on the product, at least the minimum sales package should be clearly and permanently marked in Chinese with the product license number, production date or production batch number, storage life, recommended storage conditions, etc. The implementation of the standard for GB/T 32610-2016 daily protective masks require that each mask should be sealed packaging, each packaging unit should have an inspection certificate, in addition to marking the manufacturer, name, specifications, implementation standards, protective effect level, instructions for use (wearing method, cautions, etc.), should also mark the main raw materials of the product (inner layer, outer layer, filter layer), date of production, recommended use time and the storage period, disinfection methods (such as taking disinfection), etc.
2. See if the standards match. If the product name and the implementation standard do not match, please choose carefully. The daily protection haze mask (PM2.5 mask) implementation standard is GB/T 32610-2016; industrial dust mask (KN95/KN90) implementation standard is GB 2626-2006. KN95 refers to non-oily particulate matter filtration efficiency ≥95%, with this type of mask can also achieve the effect or requirements of droplet prevention; and people often say that the N95 mask is in line with the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) set the standard of the United States, the United States N95 and domestic KN95 standard is equivalent.
(C) The purchase and identification of children's masks
The children over 1 year old should wear masks when they go out, parents should choose the appropriate mask according to the age of the baby. Because children are in the growth and development stage, and the face is small, wearing an adult mask is generally difficult to achieve the effect of close, it is recommended to choose the regular manufacturers of child protection masks. Due to the great variability of children's physical characteristics, the medical data and experimental data on the impact of respiratory resistance on children's growth are still to be perfected, so there is no specific provision for children's masks in the current standards in China, and at present, China has not yet introduced standards specifically for children's masks.
(D) The purchase and identification of imported masks
Import masks to see the product logo. In principle, imported masks sold in the domestic market should be marked with the corresponding product information in Chinese. To buy or order mask products from abroad, be sure to choose a formal channel, reliable sources and guarantee the quality of the product. At the same time, from abroad to buy the mask, first look at the product logo, may not have the Chinese logo logo, according to the product on the public information to the database, but also to the relevant regulatory bodies in foreign countries, the official website of the certification body to check the product registration and certification information, registration number can not be found is certainly a fake and shoddy products. If you want to know if the imported N95 you are buying is a regular product, you can see the CDC website to see if the company name and model number of the product match. Only the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved N95 is medical N95, and different countries and regions have their own standards, such as N series is the U.S. standard, KF series is the Korean standard, FFP series is the European standard, DS series is the Japanese standard, P series is the Australian standard, the larger the number of protection level is also the higher.
V. Selection of masks
The types of masks used in different scenarios vary from population to population. In principle, it is best to use medical-surgical masks, dustproof masks with KN90 or more, but in the environment without a confirmed or suspected patient, the use of ordinary disposable medical masks can be. However, if you go to the hospital, it is best to upgrade the protection level, and it is recommended to use the medical-surgical, KN95 mask or a higher protection level mask. As the actual epidemic varies from place to place, the public can refer to the "Guidelines for the Use of Pneumonia Mask for the Prevention of Novel Coronavirus Infection" issued by the Disease Prevention and Control Bureau of the National Health Committee of the State Health Care Commission and choose to use the mask according to their own situation. The specific guidelines are as follows.
General mask: the material is generally cotton knitted cloth, gauze, etc., mainly used for windproof and warm, can only filter larger particles, can block some droplets, but the filtration efficiency is very low, can not play an effective role in protecting against viruses, is not recommended for epidemic protection.
Everyday protective masks: It is mainly suitable for protective masks worn in daily life under air pollution environment to filter out particles. For example, it is often said that PM2.5 haze mask can effectively filter PM2.5 particles in hazy weather, its main feature is good filtration performance, but its breathability is poor. Although it is not a medical mask, considering that it is the same as the KN95 series of masks, also has a better filtration and microbial barrier, so it can also be used in the same way as the KN95 series of masks, where the protection levels C and D can be compared to KN95 and KN90 masks, respectively.
Industrial dust mask (KN90/KN95 type mask): the characteristics of the suction part has a multi-layer protector or multi-layer sandwich, generally used for labor protection in the working environment, such as painting, cement, sand, processing of iron dust, soot and other working environment has a large amount of dust, can effectively protect the use of inhalation dust, is a special category of work within the national mandatory requirements for the use of work units. According to the filtration performance can be divided into KN (only for filtering non-oily particles) and KP (for filtering oily particles), the particle barrier ability is the same as the medical protective mask, but does not have the medical protective mask in the protection of body fluids or blood spatter function, so in the medical environment, should be careful to use N95 or KN95 mask, emergency, medical protective mask shortage, but also as a supplement to the medical personnel protective masks. For the general public, KN95 masks can be used when going to densely populated closed public places (such as stations, airports, supermarkets) or hospitals.
Disposable medical masks: for the general public in densely populated public places, indoor workplaces with relatively large numbers of people, such as people visiting medical institutions, employees returning from work in enterprises, etc.
Medical-surgical masks: recommended for use by medical personnel working in general outpatient clinics, wards, staff in densely populated areas, administrative, police, security, courier and other personnel involved in epidemic-related work, as well as by medium-risk groups such as those living in isolation and with them.
Medical protective masks: The use of medical protective masks is recommended for some high-risk groups (e.g. emergency medical personnel, medical personnel testing samples related to the epidemic, etc.) and high-risk groups (fever clinics in epidemic areas, medical personnel in isolation wards, etc.).
Children's masks: For children over 1 year old, it is recommended to use children's protective masks made by regular manufacturers. If there is no child mask, given that the KN95 mask is not as comfortable and breathable as a flat mask, children can generally consider using disposable medical or surgical masks.
Imported masks: Due to the shortage of domestic masks, some imported masks can also achieve the same level of protection. Common ones such as N95, FFP2, DS2 and KF94 masks, comparable to domestic KN95 masks, can be used to protect against particulate matter, including the spread of pathogens such as viruses. Non-infection frontline personnel, wearing a mask above N90 can meet daily work life requirements, including protection against exposure in general public places. Among the imported masks, FFP2 or FFP3 (without respiratory valve), in accordance with ASTM F2100 Level 2 or Level 3 in the USA, or EN 149 in the EU, are available for use by front-line personnel.
6. Precautions for the purchase of masks
In order to avoid buying counterfeit and shoddy products as far as possible, consumers can pay attention to the following points when buying mask products.
1. Look at the appearance form. When selecting a mask, you should pay attention to check the appearance of the mask, the surface of the mask is neat and even, no damage and stains, the size corresponds to the size specified by the standard.
2. Look at the packaging information. Pay attention to the basic information of the mask products, in addition to the product name, specifications, manufacturers, the implementation of the standard number, product approval number, but also pay attention to the date of production and validity, the general mask is valid for two years. Also, it is best to have individual small packages. For masks temporarily imported directly from abroad, which may not be marked with the Chinese language logo, look out for the foreign logo on the outer packaging that meets the claimed standard level. In addition, some enterprises self-produced, e-commerce platform dedicated to the masks also began to be widely used, the identification of these products may not be complete, but should be able to trace back to the manufacturer, purchase or use should focus on the implementation of product standards, such as to view the relevant product quality inspection report is better.
3. Look at the feel of the material. Some masks imported from abroad and dismantled for sale do not have packaging information, which can be judged by the feel of the material of the mouthpiece. Counterfeit mask is generally thin, only one layer, or three layers, but the middle layer is not melt-sprayed non-woven fabric; formal qualified medical masks at least three layers, the outer layer feels relatively smooth, cut meeting to see the obvious three-layer structure, poor light transmission and can not see the obvious weaving silk.
Comments
Post a Comment