With the advent of the novel COVID-19 virus, much of the world has changed. It’s probably been more than a couple weeks since you shook a new friend’s hand, and you may even have been a while since you left the house!

With the ongoing pandemic, it’s important that we do all we can to stay safe. Never is this truer than when one is talking about the medical professionals on the front-lines of the virus. One of the best ways that these medical professionals can stay safe is by wearing a gas mask to filter out air that may contain the virus.

Medical professionals wearing gas masks, however, seems to be a fairly novel idea. In this article, we’ll explain why it’s a good idea for doctors and nurses alike to use this type of personal protection equipment.

How Do Gas Masks Work?

Gas masks are made up of a few different parts. Firstly, the mask itself will cover a large portion of your face, ensuring that you are not breathing in any air that hasn’t been filtered through a specific portion of the mask.

The air that you breathe in when wearing a gas mask is filtered through a cartridge. The cartridge in question can be designed in a few different ways, but the important thing to know is that the filter is able to remove chemical pollutants and certain kinds of particles from the air.

These particles include those airborne ones that are able to transport the virus between humans. Note, however, that no mask is able to always filter out 100% of bacteria with infallibility. However, gas masks are as close to that as you can get.

Why Not Cloth Masks?

Cloth masks are a great solution for those who are trying to protect themselves from the general public. When going to the grocery store or filling up at a gas station, one is staying six feet apart from other members of the population who may or may not have the virus.

But medical professionals, on the other hand, are standing right next to folks who already have the virus for sure and administering treatment. Thus, their chances of catching the virus are much higher. They need the added protection that the filtration system in a gas mask can afford, which is far superior to the filtration ability that a cloth mask provides. In short, gas masks for medical professionals are crucial in this time of a novel virus.

Be Smart: Use a Gas Mask

There you have it — now that you know what a gas mask is and how it works, you should have a better understanding of why cloth masks do not suffice for medical professionals. Gas masks are a far better option. Those of you who work on the front-lines fighting this virus need all the protection you can get. We appreciate your service!

For more medical advice, be sure to take some time to check out the rest of the articles on the website!