When worn normally, or when well sealed? Are there tests of this? If they are both melt blown fabric then it seems at least plausible that this thing could work. It should be tested of course, but it seems like they are in the process of doing that.
Thanks. For those not following the link, this study shows that NaCl aerosols penetrate measured surgical masks at a much higher rate than n95 masks, even after creating a firm seal.
It is hard to tell what exactly was tested in this study. It mentions the standards which the tested respirators met but there is no mention of any standards regarding the tested surgical masks. Were they surgical masks that met the ASTM standards for surgical masks? If so the level 1, 2 or 3 standards?
The solution Save The Face Mask proposes is designed to work with surgical masks which meet ASTM standards. Given the lack of information regarding the masks tested the quoted study is fairly useless in evaluating the proposed solution.
> Discussion: Neither surgical nor cotton masks effectively filtered SARS–CoV-2 during coughs by infected patients. Prior evidence that surgical masks effectively filtered influenza virus (1) informed recommendations that patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 should wear face masks to prevent transmission (2). However, the size and concentrations of SARS–CoV-2 in aerosols generated during coughing are unknown. Oberg and Brousseau (3) demonstrated that surgical masks did not exhibit adequate filter performance against aerosols measuring 0.9, 2.0, and 3.1 μm in diameter. Lee and colleagues (4) showed that particles 0.04 to 0.2 μm can penetrate surgical masks. The size of the SARS–CoV particle from the 2002–2004 outbreak was estimated as 0.08 to 0.14 μm (5); assuming that SARS-CoV-2 has a similar size, surgical masks are unlikely to effectively filter this virus.
> Of note, we found greater contamination on the outer than the inner mask surfaces.
Isn't the whole point of the apparatus we are discussing to create a better seal with a surgical mask? The study another person linked to here hot-glued the masks being tested to their testing appliance, which does seem to create a seal.
Tbh I don't know anything about it. Their blog post seems technical and well-thought out. They aren't offering these things for sale at $50 a pop, so they're not trying to gouge the public. They are going through the necessary testing. It doesn't seem like an effort that can be slapped down with internet comment outrage.
