Sanitizers May Reduce Face Mask Efficacy

Effectiveness of face masks is found to be reduced by spraying sanitizer on them as per a world-first study published by a team from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO).

Jurg Schutz, a lead author of the study, said the findings would help inform people on how to care for disposable masks, Xinhua news agency reported.

‘Exposing face masks like N95 and P2 to alcohol-based sanitizers increases the risks of serious degradation of their ability to protect from airborne hazards � reducing their efficacy.’

"Single-use face masks will continue to be part of many of our lives as they provide us with a defense against Covid, its variants and any future pathogens, but we had been hearing stories about people trying to prolong the life of these masks by cleaning them," he said in a media release.

"We started thinking about the kinds of products people have been using more during the pandemic, like alcohol-based hand Santizer and cleaning solutions, and realised these could impact the electrostatic properties of the face masks. "

He noted that these masks rely on having an electrostatic charge that attracts particles and traps them like a sticky spiderweb. "But we also know this charge can be destroyed by highly-concentrated alcoholic vapours," he said.

The research was published as several jurisdictions prepare to ease mask rules.

From Friday night, people in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and Victoria will only be required to wear masks in high-risk settings including public transport, airports, and healthcare facilities.

Australia on Thursday reported more than 20,000 new coronavirus infections and 36 deaths - 16 in Victoria, 12 in New South Wales, and 8 in Queensland.

Source: IANS