Surgical masks recommended by Public Health England for NHS staff dealing with undiagnosed patients do not protect against coronavirus, experts say.
A test of the standard surgical mask, known as Type IIR, found that it was not sealed sufficiently to protect wearers from particles that spread the virus. Unlike the FFP3 industrial mask, worn to treat patients who have tested positive, the surgical mask allows wearers to breathe in unfiltered air from the sides.
The study was conducted by James Douglas, a GP and expert in occupational health and aerosol generating procedures in industry, and Niall McLean, a councillor with a background in PPE training.
They set up a testing centre using a smoke model to simulate an eight-hour shift exposed to Covid-19 in clinical
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