Respirators are more effective than surgical masks at protecting against infection – here’s how they work and who should wear them

© Samara Heisz / Getty Images
Respirators, like N95 masks, are needed to protect healthcare workers from illness. Samara Heisz / Getty Images

• Respirators work to protect healthcare workers and emergency services from inhaling chemicals or infectious particles.
• Respirators, like N95 masks, are more effective than surgical masks at preventing the spread of disease – and they should be used by health care workers treating sick patients.
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Respirators, more commonly known as face masks, are intended to protect healthcare and emergency personnel from chemicals and infectious particles.

Surgical masks can be helpful if you are sick as they prevent the wearer’s germs from spreading to other people. If you are a healthcare worker and want to protect yourself against illness or inhaling other hazardous particles, a respirator will be more effective.

Here’s what you need to know about the different types of respirators, how they work, and who might need them.

How respirators work

A respirator is a device that covers your nose and mouth and protects you from inhaling dangerous airborne substances, such as chemicals or infectious particles.

There are specific types of respirators for different scenarios, including:

• Respirators, which are intended for use only in an emergency, such as a fire or the release of chemical vapors. These respirators are meant to protect you as you move towards safety and are generally designed for short-term use of up to an hour.
• Gas masks, that cleanse chemical gases from the air when you breathe. Gas mask cartridges filter out particular biological or chemical substances, but no single cartridge protects you from all substances, so gas masks are only effective if you use the correct cartridge for the hazard you are facing.
• Motorized Air-Purifying Respirators (PAPR) use the same filters as gas masks, but make breathing easier by using a ventilator to blow air through the filter.
• Particulate respirators protect you from particles, but not chemicals, gases or vapors. For example, healthcare workers use N95 masks, which clean the air as you breathe and protect you from infectious particles, such as coronavirus.

Particulate Respirators Protect Healthcare Workers

Respirators, like commonly found N95 masks, help protect healthcare workers from inhaling infectious particles as they treat patients who may be contagious. They were particularly important during the coronavirus epidemic.

“N95 masks help filter out coronavirus particles so healthcare professionals don’t inhale them,” says Parshawn Lahiji, MD, emergency physician and intensive care medicine specialist and internist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center.

In addition to a shortage of medical equipment like ventilators, many hospitals across the country are also experiencing a shortage of personal protective equipment, like these N95 masks, endangering the health and safety of healthcare workers. .

In New York City, some doctors are reusing N95 respirators by storing them in a bag and returning them later. Typically, these masks are intended for single use only and doctors use a new one for each interaction with the patient.

Respirators are needed to protect healthcare workers, but the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) does not recommend the use of N95 respirators or masks for the general public. Instead, the CDC recommends limiting exposure by staying home as much as possible, washing your hands frequently, and avoiding touching your face.