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Much of the Northeast U.S. is currently seeing a record-setting levels of poor air quality. While the end of the week might bring some reprieve to the Northeast, the toxic air that has blanketed this region is due to blow into other parts of the country in the days to come. Even when this immediate threat fades, increasingly bad air pollution is a reality we are all now living with.
And so while the threat of COVID may have faded for many, it s still a good time to stock up on masks—and, of course, to make sure that the masks you and your family are wearing are actually up to the task of protecting you from everything from virus droplets to particulate matter .
It might seem like any mask would be better than no mask at all, but according to Dr. David Gudis, an otolaryngologist at Columbia University, the quality of the mask you choose matters. "A typical cloth or bandana or even a regular mask probably does not have high-enough filtration to prevent some of the particulate matter from the smoke from getting into the airway—which is to say that if someone is worried or certainly if they have some kind of preexisting respiratory condition like asthma or severe allergies that can be easily triggered by particulate matter like this, then a mask like a KN95 or an N95 would be ideal," Gudis told Vogue on Thursday.
For the uninitiated, both N95 and KN95 masks filter 95% of aerosol particulates, but the N95 has been approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (a branch of the CDC), whereas the KN95 has not (although it has been approved in China). When both mask varieties are applied correctly—with the seal fitted tightly to your face—they can be very effective; below, find a guide to the best N95 face masks and KN95 face masks on the market.
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