The best face masks to prevent coronavirus from infecting you and your family

With coronavirus making its way through Europe in countries like Italy, Germany, France, and Spain, experts say it’s only a matter of time before the virus hits the shores of North America. You know that coronavirus is highly contagious. Still, you’d like to try to protect yourself from catching it in public or at least shield yourself others if you become sick. You're wondering, what is the best way to do that?

A Man Wearing a Dust-Free Mask

Unfortunately, there’s no vaccine or medication you can take to prevent yourself from catching coronavirus. The virus is highly contagious and spread through contact with respiratory droplets from an infected person. That being said, if you spend a lot of time on crowded public transportation or sick people, a face mask might be helpful. In that case, you’re probably wondering what are the best face masks to prevent coronavirus?

Here we’ve rounded up the experts’ advice on preventing coronavirus with face masks. We’ve also selected a few popular, effective face mask options for you to consider.

Coronavirus Face Mask Options

What do the experts say about face masks

According to The Washington Post, the CDC doesn’t currently recommend face masks among the general public. But that hasn’t stopped travelers and people who use public transport from donning their masks. Doctors say that while wearing a mask isn’t harmful, it isn’t as effective as you would expect. A far better way to prevent the spread of the disease is by washing your hands with hot, soapy water for at least 20 seconds. Also, keeping your immunity up by eating lots of leafy greens could prevent you from catching the virus.

The World Health Organization has even warned that a surge in demand for face masks could make them hard to obtain for doctors and nurses treating patients, the very people who need them the most. On the other hand, some medical experts have stated that face masks are vital for highly populated areas like cities to prevent the rapid spread of disease.

Face masks are vital for highly populated areas

The Washington Post notes that some situations warrant the use of a face mask. One is when you are sick yourself and want to prevent yourself from spreading your illness to others. Also, if you spend a lot of time around sick people, then wearing a face mask is probably a good idea.

So, say you or someone in your family comes down with the virus. What, then, are the best face masks to prevent coronavirus from spreading to everyone in the house? Particularly if you live with someone who has a compromised immune system?

The most effective masks

According to France24, there are two types of facemasks on the market: the surgical face masks we all know and N95 respirators. N95 respirators probably offer the best defense against coronavirus. This is because respirators are tight-fitting and better protect the user. These masks are designed to keep contaminants out. In the healthcare environment, surgical masks protect patients, not the professional.  So while you could use both surgical face masks and N95 respirators, the latter probably offers better protection.

N95 respirators probably offer the best defense against coronavirus

A few popular face masks

Fashionable Dust-Proof and Windproof Cotton Face Mask

Each face mask respirator is crafted with 6 layers of support that contains activated carbon, melt-blown cotton, and non-woven fabric. These reusable respirator masks can be washed by hand and worn before or after you get sick, while motorcycle riding or just being outdoors. Reduce the risk of breathing in gases, noxious smells, pollen, smoke, dust, and other harmful particles by wearing oaxygen face mask respirator. Cleaner air is better for the heart, lungs and other internal organs. You can grab yours at $24.99 on Amazon.

Face Mask, Veil, Reusable Carbon Activated Filters Black Cloth Face Mask

Another popular N95 respirator on Amazon is this black cloth face mask with reusable carbon activated filters. A breathable mask made from cotton, mesh, and polyester it is comfortable to wear and skin-friendly. The mask blocks pollution, colds, dust, and pollen and is available in black, purple, or blue or to your specifications. It’s priced at $19.99 on Amazon

A sustainable face mask

If you’re looking for a more eco-friendly option to protect your children from coronavirus, Eco-business.com mentions a Singapore-based business named Mama’s Little Koalas. It’s owned by Chiu Pei Yu, a 33-year-old mother of three. She makes and sells washable face masks for children that she makes using sustainable materials. Each one costs $10.

AVIGOR N95 Mouth Mask N99 Dust Mask Anti Pollution Military Grade Washable Cotton Masks With Adjustable Straps

This N95 mask features lab-tested filters that block almost 80% of air pollution, smoke, PM2.5, Dust, and smog. It has an M-shaped special design for a comfortable fit and allows for easy breathing. The AVIGOR Respirator automatically opens when you exhale and closes when you Inhale to prevent particles from coming in. Amazon sells them for $25.99.

We hope we’ve provided you with some useful information about face masks and their use in preventing coronavirus. These were some of the best face masks to prevent coronavirus.