Măștile de protecție împotriva coronavirus au devenit deja o parte normală din viețile noastre, însă există atât de multe tipuri pe piață încât poate deveni complicat să știi pe care să o alegi. In this article we will discuss the FFP1, FFP2 and FFP3 masks and what are the differences between them.
These respiratory masks are made of materials specially designed to filter air and impurities, and are based on a classification system showing the level of protection they provide. By the way, the term FFP comes from the English name “filtering face piece”.
FFP1 Mask
This provides the lowest level of protection of the three, and generally, before the pandemic, was used for protection against dust. We are not talking here about the dust we have in the house, but about the dust produced in certain industries and trades. The protection factor allocated is 4x APF, the protection against airborne particles is at least 80 % and the internal leakage rate is not more than 22 %.
FFP2 mask
Provides a higher level of protection, and are often used in hospitals or by the general population. The protection factor allocated is 10x APF, the protection against airborne particles is at least 94 % and the internal leakage rate is not more than 8 %.
Their equivalent by U.S. standards are N95 masks, and by Asian standards are K95 masks. They are used in various branches of construction, pharmacy or agriculture, but also against viruses and bacteria transmitted through the air.
FFP3 Mask
It offers the highest level of protection, but breathing through these masks is also more difficult. The protection factor allocated is 20x APF, the protection against airborne particles is at least 99 % and the internal drain rate is not more than 2 %.
Protects against very fine particles such as asbestos or ceramics, but also provides the best protection against coronavirus, which is why they are often used in hospitals.
With Valve or Withouth ?
You may have noticed that some masks also have valves. They do not increase the level of protection, but help to lower the air, making breathing easier. They are used in certain industries and trades to make life easier for workers, but are not recommended for protection against coronavirus. Very small particles containing the virus could be released through the valve when the patient coughs or sneezes.
