The Mask of SARS

A Comment By Collin Tam, Healthcare Analyst at Frost & Sullivan (ctam@frost.com)

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a new disease that have inflicted thousands of people worldwide, particularly in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Canada. Symptoms of SARS include a fever more than 100.4 degrees F (38.0 degrees C), respiratory discomfort, dry cough, and body aches. SARS is usually spread by airborne droplets from the sneeze or cough of a person with SARS. Other potential ways of SARS spreading may be via touching infectious droplets and not washing their hands afterward. Some scientist are still trying to figure out what caused the SARS outbreak, and exactly how the disease is being spread. The vast majority of SARS cases are healthcare workers and family members. However, the number of cases continues to increase beyond hospital settings. Epidemiologists are studying whether SARS could be spread by some environmental means as in the case of one apartment complex in Hong Kong. Over 240 people in that complex were infected with SARS, indicating that SARS may be transmitted through non-personal contact.

The Booming Market of Facemasks as a Result of SARS

Sales of facemasks have been rising significantly in Asia due to the SARS scare. Prices for facemasks have gone up in some regions such as Hong Kong because the demand there is growing faster than supply. Even some international airlines are providing disposable masks to passengers. Kimberly-Clark, 3M Healthcare, and other manufacturers are ramping up their production to meet the growing demand of face masks.

The effectiveness of a facemask to prevent SARS varies depending on the type of mask you wear. The worst type of mask would be one that is made out of cotton. Although it would help to some degree, droplets can penetrate through cotton. A dust mask is almost just as bad as cotton for the same reason. The best type of mask to get is a respirator mask like the N-95s that filter out contaminants. A surgical mask would be the next best protection, followed by a procedure mask.

Surgical masks are designed to prevent germs from leaving the body. A surgeon puts on a mask to prevent his or her own germs from contaminating a patient's wound. The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a surgical mask should be worn by those infected with SARS to prevent the spread of the disease. The CDC also suggests that healthcare workers treating patients with SARS should wear N-95 masks rather than surgical masks or procedure masks.

"Fit testing" of facemasks is needed to assure that the mask fit properly against the face, leaving no passage for particles to go through. That makes it tough for people to breathe under hot and humid weather in Southeast Asia. The N-95 masks do not come in sizes for men with beard nor children. The mask must fit tightly with no space or gap, otherwise airborne particles will go through.

Are Facemasks the Answer to Prevent SARS?

Although facemasks can prevent the larger airborne droplets from penetrating through to avoid contracting the SARS virus, no masks are 100 per cent full-proof against smaller droplets. The N-95 mask filters out only 95 per cent of particles that are at least 0.3 microns. The most effective method to prevent getting SARS is to stay away from high
risk areas such as Toronto, Hong Kong, Beijing, and other parts of China. A facemask is probably not needed for the general population as long as they simply avoid direct contact with a person with SARS.

Background
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