Things You'll Need:
- cotton T-shirt
- bleach
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Step 1
There are two types of flu masks: surgical masks and respirators. Cotton surgical masks are used by surgeons and doctors to help prevent the spread of illnesses. They are good at halting cough and sneeze secretions. They are not as good as N95 masks, but they do offer some protection.
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Step 2
Respirators are masks designed to filter out 95 percent of particles moving toward a person’s breathing zone. These masks need to be properly adjusted to be effective. These masks are often called N95 respirators.
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Step 3
Dato VM, Hostler D, Hahn ME. Simple respiratory mask. Emerg Infect Dis. 2006 Jun.In a pinch, you can make your own mask. This mask is not as effective as the two masks already mentioned, but it will help to stop influenza droplets when you or others sneeze or cough.
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Step 4
To make your own mask, boil a cotton T-shirt for 10 minutes. Then dry it, and cut it into about nine pieces. The first piece should be wide enough to cover your nose and mouth comfortably, as shown above. (Click on the photo to enlarge it.) The other eight squares should fit inside the part that goes over your face. You should alternate the way you place the grain of the squares. The mask should be tied tightly about the mouth and nose to be most effective.
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Step 5
After using the mask, it must be washed with bleach to sanitize it.
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Step 6
No face mask will protect completely against the flu, but wearing one can help. So if you need to fly in a plane or visit crowded places, you might consider one of the face masks above.
Comments
jenng said
on 5/10/2009 Great article 5* and recommended masks are good to use right now