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Covid-19: the mess of masks
Last week it was Germany and France who, by announcing a change in their recommendations, began to cast doubt on whether we need FFP2 masks even to go to the bathroom.
Then Fernando Simón arrived. This week the Minister of Consumption, Alberto Garzón, has signed the new order that will toughen the information and marketing requirements for hygienic masks in Spain and which has been included in the BOE since Friday.
What does this mean?
Are cloth masks going to be banned as some have interpreted?
In fact, it is the opposite.
It means that, unlike other countries where they are still covering their mouths with pieces of curtains, in Spain we have proposed to go one step ahead and do things a little better.
Fabric masks yes, among other things because they are more sustainable for the pocket and for the environment, but as long as they meet certain requirements that guarantee their quality.
These are some of the most relevant keys collected by the new regulations, which will allow us to have safer hygienic masks on the market:
1. Goodbye to "superpowered masks".
The document with "frequently asked questions" from the Ministry of Industry has already included these indications for months, but the new order clearly insists: the labeling data should not mislead and suggest that hygienic masks have properties superior to those typical of a hygienic mask.
In other words, it is
forbidden to mention or imply that a fabric mask is "FFP2 equivalent", that it is made with "FFP2 fabric" or that it offers greater protection in one way or another
.
A Ferrari is a Ferrari and a Golf is a Golf.
There is no such thing as a "Golf" Ferrari type.
2. Goodbye to "screen masks".
This regulation regulates in detail the definition of a hygienic mask and within this definition there are no plastic screens.
I am referring to hard or flexible plastic devices that fit over the forehead or chin and through which air "escapes" clearly from the top, bottom, or sides.
These devices may comply with other regulations (relating to eye protection, for example) but may not be commercially known as hygienic masks.
The use of screens in people who work in front of the public or with patients (especially healthcare personnel) can be very useful as long as they are used as a complement to a mask that complies with the regulations.
3. Goodbye to the sale of "paperless masks".
In many establishments, especially for accessories, it is common for masks to be displayed on hooks, racks or on display stands, without packaging and with less paper than a hare.
The BOE
contains all the data that the labeling must include.
A labeling that must necessarily accompany hygienic masks
.
Among the requirements are the tested data regarding the filtration efficiency of the material and the resistance to breathing or air permeability.
The reference number of the test report, the standard (test method) and the laboratory used to perform it must be included.
4. Goodbye to "pirate labs".
Unfortunately, throughout these months, laboratories have emerged that have issued favorable certificates on masks that did not really comply with the regulations or even certifying certain properties that they could not prove (the "superpowers").
An example are those companies that have certified the existence of "equivalent FFP2 masks" when, as we said, it was already something that was prohibited.
This circumstance has caused great confusion among consumers and also among sellers, for whom it is impossible to determine whether a certificate is truly valid or not.
The new standard clearly states that the laboratories that carry out tests on hygienic masks or their materials must have the technical competence and means to be able to carry out the tests
, and must have implemented, at least for said tests, a system in accordance with the
standard. UNE-EN ISO / IEC 17025
.
Laboratories have six months to "catch up".
5. Welcome to "clear masks".
In the meantime goodbye ... a long-awaited welcome.
This is a popular demand that has finally been given the green light and will favor inclusion, especially of some groups, including deaf people.
Important!
Not just any transparent mask will be valid, but only those that meet certain characteristics that are included in the BOE.
The most suitable format seems to be "window mask".
Nor, logically, they can be made "home" but must be tested by a competent laboratory.
Masks of the "mesh" type or those made entirely of plastic materials that do not meet the filtration and breathability parameters will not be valid.
6. Filters, finally a regulation.
The chapter that the BOE dedicates to filters is extensive.
The summary could be that each filter that meets the requirements established in the regulations must be used with a specific mask, having jointly tested their characteristics (filter + mask).
There would be no guarantees mixing filters and masks randomly whose properties and dimensions have not been tested together, for this reason the BOE requires that filters sold individually include on their labeling: "Warning: These values may change when used with a mask. "
7. The fit, essential.
The new standard includes some critical aspects that unfortunately continue to be overlooked, such as the importance of a correct fit of the product, both to the nose and below the chin and to the sides of the face.
It is difficult to get a correct fit to the nose without a nose clip, and yet until now, masks that do not include it abound on the market.
Masks should be sized appropriately for the size of users, in such a way as to maximize inhaled and exhaled air to pass through the filter and minimize leakage from the sides of the mask.
In the same way that it is useless to wear the best raincoat in the rain if it does not cover our heads properly, it will be of little use to wear the "Ferrari" of the masks if it leaves spaces around the nose or on the sides.
When does the regulation come into force?
Masks that do not meet these characteristics may continue to be sold for a period of 30 days.
From then on, their sale cannot be prohibited (they may be mere covers), but they will be prohibited from doing so under the name of "hygienic masks"
.
It is, without a doubt, a great step that should serve as an example to other countries in the search for environmentally and economically sustainable tools to deal with the virus
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Science and Health
Coronavirus
Covid 19
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Infectious diseases
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