Medical experts and health authorities in the Philippines have discouraged the public from using masks with a hole in them. The announcement came days after it was reported that the company that manufactures such masks threatened to silence critics with a lawsuit.
COVID-19 masks with holes are not effective
The masks with holes in them became trendy in 2020 during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic. The company, CopperMask PH, is one of the largest manufacturers of copper-infused face masks that feature an antimicrobial layer.
In a 2020 paper published in The New England Journal of Medicine, SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can survive on surfaces such as plastic and stainless steel for up to 72 hours, while its lifespan on copper surfaces significantly decrease and can only survive for around four hours. With that, the copper mask would have been more effective.
But unfortunately, due to the mask's design with the hole, experts believe pathogens can still find a way to enter the mask and inherently get into the person's system, defeating the copper's purpose.
Nevertheless, not everyone, especially scientists, agrees that copper is enough to keep everyone safe from the disease.
Some experts in the field are not entirely sure of copper's effectiveness against the COVID-19 virus, as noted by The New York Times, so the public is encouraged to not rely on copper masks alone to keep them safe from the pandemic and exercise caution, such as frequent handwashing and physical distancing.
CopperMaskPH allegedly tapped social media influencers and celebrities to promote their product, and along with being featured on newspapers, advertisements, and billboards, copper-infused masks became a huge hit in the country.
According to VICE World News, critics of the CopperMask, including doctors, received cease and desist letters from the company's lawyers. One famous case is that of Dr. Adam Smith, an Australian doctor, and YouTuber, who was told to take down his content, but he refused to do so.
The Philippine health department was heavily criticized for not properly warning Filipinos about the masks when debates over their safety erupted after a major hospital banned its use this year. The health department has stated in the past that CopperMask can still prevent the spread of COVID-19.
However, that statement changed on Mar. 8 when the health department mentioned the company in its warning. The Department of Health (DOH) stated that they don't recommend masks that have gaps on the sides, at the top, and the bottom.
Dr. Rodley Carza said in a media briefing that they are aware that CopperMask has a slit or hole under the chin, so it is not that good for a mask in preventing COVID-19.
The Department of Health (DOH) was then asked if the government could regulate the influencers and celebrities who use and promote the mask. However, the agency hasn't released any statement regarding that issue yet.
A year after the coronavirus outbreak, the Philippines has one of the worst outbreaks in Southeast Asia, with almost 600,000 cases and 12,500 death as of Mar. 9.
Meanwhile, CopperMask PH has not responded to the statement of the DOH. However, as the debate over the quality of the mask in the Philippines surged, CopperMask PH announced earlier this month that they released a 2.0 version featuring the same mask with a hole, but its non-woven fabric has since been updated with an enclosed filter.
Best masks for COVID-19 protection
The CDC had recommended the best types of masks for protection against COVID-19. The effectiveness level of a surgical mask, cloth mask, and N95 mask differ from each other, so which mask provides more protection?
A study published on ACS Publications shows that N95 masks if worn properly, are the most effective of them all as they can filter out 95% of all particles over a certain size.
Related Article:Razer Project Hazel: N95 'Smart Mask' Comes with RGB (Price, Release Date)
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Written by Sieeka Khan
