Jane Network-Life is art, your life is your masterpiece. : What type of mask is effective for Coronavirus ?

Q: What type of mask is effective for Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) ?

Surgical mask and N95 respirators.
N95 respirators offer higher level protection
WHO recommends N95, FFP2, or equivalent respirator.
CDC recommends NIOSH-certified disposable N95
Typically N95 recommended for healthcare workers for airborne precaution and should be used during be used during aerosol generating procedures due to tight fitting design.

Mask type and comparison

Anti virus & Anti bacteria function:
N95>Surgical mask>FFP1>active carbon mask> fabric mask > sponge mask

Surgical mask (strongest protection)
N95 respirator (medical use)
FFP1 (isolate suspended particles)
Active carbon mask (unpleasant smell or surrounding)
Fabric mask (keep warm in cold weather)
Sponge mask (aesthetic use, barely any protection function)

Note: Homemade DIY fabric mask is not able to protect from infections disease and may cause risk of higher infection. Refer to Public Heath Malaysia for further explanations.

Mask type and function

Difference between surgical mask and N95 respirator, CDC & Harvard health.

Be cautious on counterfeit N95 mask

CDC web page provides a table of NIOSH-approved N95 respirators, listed alphabetically by manufacturer, model number / product line. Not all product and model qualified for N95 function.
Qualified N95 mask is approved by National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
Malaysia qualified N95 masks will have JKKP approved label .
JKKP (Jabatan Keselamatan dan Kesihatan Pekerjaan) also known as Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH).
Fullfill requirement of European Standard (EN 149:2001) & FFR classification .
EN 149 European standard for face pieces - filtering halfmasks to protect against particles
According to OSHA, The use of counterfeit or altered respirators can jeopardize worker health and safety. there is no way of knowing whether these products or parts meet the stringent testing and quality assurance requirements of NIOSH and will provide workers with the expected level of protection.

counterfeit mask , CDC

Sample of JKKP approved N95 mask - supplied by subsidiary of Sunway Group .

Be cautious on counterfeit surgical mask

According to OSHA, only surgical masks that are regulated by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are legally marketed in the United Stated and have been tested for their ability to resist blood and body fluids.

Counterfeit surgical mask, CNN world

Sample of FDA approved surgical mask

Note:
-Personally i find it difficult to identify counterfeit features of surgical mask. So i actually prefer N95 mask.
-Here's some counterfeit test and doubtful brands shared by forum regarding counterfeit surgical mask and FDA surgical mask. Do share with me if you have more reliable source to verify and identify counterfeit feature of surgical mask.

WHO background

World Health Organization (WHO)
United Nations specialized agency (headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland) responsible for world public health .
Primary role is to direct international health within the United Nations' system and to lead partners in global health responses.
WHO constitution signed by 61 countries

NIOSH background

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
United States federal agency responsible for research and recommendations for the prevention of work-related injury and illness.
NIOSH is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

CDC background

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Leading national public health institute of the United States.
United States federal agency responsible to protect public health and safety through control and prevention of disease, injury, and disability in US and internationally.
The health care information on CDC is reliable and highly recommended by medical doctors. It's actually recommended by my specialist wellness doctor from famous private hospital.
CDC information also recommended by Havard Health Publishing by Havard Medical School.

Havard Health Publishing

Publishing division of the Harvard Medical School of Harvard University.
Havard University , Private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Ranked as the world's top university every year since it was released.
Publish latest health information that is authoritative, trustworthy, and accessible with expertise of the 10,000+ faculty physicians at Harvard Medical School.
Publishing content is made available to public through syndicated daily newspaper column and licensing arrangements with a wide range of public and corporate websites.
Harvard Medical School was founded in 1782 and encompasses 18 affiliated hospitals with more than 11,000 members of the faculty, including more than 10,000 clinical physicians.

OSHA background

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Agency of United States Department of Labor
established under Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act), responsible to assure safe and healthy working conditions, enforce standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance

-the information provided is based on personal experiences and some reading materials which i've came across during purchase. i do not guarantee 100% accuracy on the information provided as i do not have any professional healthcare qualification. Do get professional advice for best practice and before making any decisions.