Coronavirus
Technology Solutions
Mask Choices Evaluated in NBC Interviews
Aries Face Masks Meets ASTM
Filtration and Breathability Standards
CDC Listing of Masks Which Meet ASTM Standards Europe Sees Mixed Picture, Vaccination Stagnation Researchers Detail C.1.2 Variant
US Intelligence Source Probe Findings
Mask Choices Evaluated in NBC Interviews
Over the last year and a half, there’s been an
influx of face masks on the market from large
retailers and small businesses alike, all in
varying styles and sizes. We now have more
choices when it comes to which face mask to buy,
but not all masks are created equal. For
example, experts previously told NBC that KN95
masks offer the most non-medical grade
protection for kids and adults, while neck
gaiters should really only be considered for
outdoor use or in a pinch.
If you want to be sure that your mask performs
at a consistent level to prevent the spread of
Covid, the CDC recommends buying one that’s
designed, tested and labeled to meet a specific
standard. KN95 and N95 masks fall into this
category, as do surgical masks. And reusable
cloth masks can, too. In February, ASTM
International, a voluntary standard-setting
organization, released the F3502 Standard
Specification for Barrier Face Coverings, which
helps establish specific requirements for mask
design and performance. Brands and manufacturers
can take their face masks to a lab to be tested
against ASTM’s standards. If a mask passes the
tests, it can be labeled with the ASTM standard,
which signals to shoppers that it meets high
levels of efficacy.
To help you evaluate masks while shopping, the
CDC has created a list of face mask features to
look for in general. It suggests you buy masks
that:
The CDC also says you should avoid masks that:
Because we now have access to so many different
types of masks, the CDC also provides dos and
don’ts for buying specific face coverings. It
provides suggestions for how to improve the fit
and performance of your mask, too.
As for gaiters,
the CDC says they can be used as an adequate
face covering so long as they have two layers or
can be folded to make two layers. Face shields,
however, are currently not recommended as
standalone protection — evaluation of face
shields is ongoing and their effectiveness
against Covid particles is unknown, the CDC
says. For people with facial hair, which the CDC
says can impact how a mask fits, the
organization recommends using a mask fitter or
brace, or double masking.
The CDC also includes specific considerations
for children. The organization says kids masks
should be made specifically for children to help
ensure a proper fit. A good mask will fit snugly
over the nose and mouth and under the chin so
there are no gaps. According to the
organization, kids face masks should not be worn
by children under the age of two.
Aries is
one of the first companies to be listed
on the CDC site for Barrier Face Coverings (Face
Masks) and NIOSH Performance/Performance Plus
Masks conforming to the ASTM 3502-21 standard; https://wwwn.cdc.gov/PPEInfo/RG/FaceCoverings.
As of publication, Aries is the only mask on the
list that conforms to level 2 for both
Filtration and Breathability for the ASTM 3502
standard and is also the only product 100%
sourced and manufactured in the USA.
The ASTM F3502-21 standard establishes a
national standard baseline for design,
performance, and testing requirements for
Barrier Face Coverings (BFCs) to allow
comparison of products by end users. To meet the
standard, products must report and exceed
minimum performance for protection (particulate
filtration efficiency), as well as comfort and
breathability (air flow resistance). It was
created in a joint effort by ASTM International,
the National Personal Protective Technology
Laboratory (NPPTL), as well as industry and
academic experts.
-
"The unique combination of fabrics in the Aries
face coverings allowed for us to meet Level 2
for both filtration and breathability, with test
results that are more than 2 times greater than
other products currently listed," said Chris
Evans, CEO of Aries. "In contrast to cloth face
masks that typically have a filtration
efficiency of less than 30%, Aries offers not
only the comfort and breathability of a cloth
face mask but superior protection against
viruses and bacteria like a medical mask. Our
masks carry the ‘meets ASTM 3502’ label on each
product, guaranteeing that users are getting the
performance they expect."
Aries worked with NC State University’s
Nonwovens Institute to add proprietary features
to a novel spun bond non-woven fabric made from
two different polymers, which combine to make a
single fiber, branded Captur™. The fabric
includes Ingeo™, a bioplastic with a smaller
carbon footprint than petroleum-based polymers,
making it one of the most sustainable face
coverings on the market. Each face covering is
designed to last for 40-hours, or a typical
5-day work week. All components are sourced and
manufactured in the United States.
CDC Listing of Masks Which Meet ASTM Standards
The Table below lists BFCs and Workplace
Performance/Performance Plus masks that conform
to the ASTM F3502-21 and NIOSH recommendations,
respectively. The quantitative test results were
provided to NIOSH by the manufacturers. Contact
information is provided so you can contact the
manufacturer directly for test reports and other
inquiries. These products were not tested by
NIOSH. Mention of any company or product does
not constitute endorsement by the NIOSH, Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention. In addition,
citations to websites external to NIOSH do not
constitute NIOSH endorsement of the sponsoring
organizations or their programs or products.
Furthermore, NIOSH is not responsible for the
content of these websites. All web addresses
referenced in this document were accessible as
of the publication date.
1 Quantitative
leakage testing is optional for ASTM F3502-21.
Leakage is reported as a ratio of the particle
concentration outside the face covering over
particle concentration inside the face covering.
Higher leakage ratios indicate less leakage.
2 See Making
Masks for the Workplace for
requirements for Workplace Performance and
Workplace Performance Plus masks. Quantitative
leakage criteria are required in addition to the
ASTM F3502-21 requirements for particulate
filtration efficiency and breathability.
Relevant Resources
Centers for Disease
Control/National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health
resources
COVID-19 Information for the Workplace
ASTM International
F3502-21 Standard
Specification for Barrier Face Coverings
An overview of the ASTM F3502-21 standard was
presented in a webinar.
New Virus Variant in South Africa
South African scientists have detected a new
coronavirus variant with multiple mutations but
are yet to establish whether it is more
contagious or able to overcome the immunity
provided by vaccines or prior infection, the
National Institute for Communicable Diseases
(NICD) has said.
The variant, known as C.1.2, was flagged last
week by the KwaZulu-Natal Research and
Innovation and Sequencing Platform in a preprint
study that has yet to be peer-reviewed. NICD
scientists said on Monday C.1.2 was only
“present at very low levels” and that it was too
early to predict how it might evolve.
While the majority of South Africa’s coronavirus
cases are currently caused by the Delta variant
– first detected in India – C.1.2 caught
scientists’ attention because its mutation is
almost twice as fast as observed in other global
variants.
Its frequency remains relatively low, however,
and it has so far been detected in less than 3
percent of genomes sequenced since it was first
picked up in May – although this has increased
from 0.2 percent to 2 percent last month.
“At this stage, we do not have experimental data
to confirm how it reacts in terms of sensitivity
to antibodies,” NICD researcher Penny Moore said
during a virtual press briefing.
“[But] we have considerable confidence that the
vaccines that are being rolled out in South
Africa will continue to protect us against
severe illness and death,” she added.
So far C.1.2 has been detected in all nine
provinces of South Africa, as well as in other
parts of the world including China, Mauritius,
New Zealand and the United Kingdom. It is
however not frequent enough to qualify as a
“variant of interest” or a “variant of concern”
such as the highly transmissible Delta and Beta
variants, which emerged in South Africa late
last year.
South Africa is the continent’s hardest-hit
country with more than 2.7 million COVID-19
cases reported to date, of which at least 81,830
have been fatal. The Beta variant drove a second
wave of infections in December and January, and
the country is now grappling with a persistent
third Delta-dominated wave predicted to overlap
with a looming fourth.
Philippines, Vietnam, Japan Battle Record Levels
The Philippines, which is experiencing a third
surge that began early this month, on Aug 28
reported a record high of more than 19,000
cases, according to Reuters. The country's
president, Rodrigo Duterte, extended
restrictions in the Manila area and some hot
spot provinces.
About one third of the latest cases are from the
area around Manila, but high numbers were
reported form nine provinces and six cities.
Meanwhile, Vietnam—which had successfully
contained earlier spikes—is struggling, like
many countries, to curb the more transmissible
Delta (B1617.2) variant. Cases continue at near
record-high numbers, with the highest in three
main industrial hubs in the southern part of the
country, according to VN Express, an online
newspaper based in Hanoi.
In Japan, where cases in its third wave remain
near record daily highs, two people died after
they were vaccinated with vaccine from lots that
were suspended due to contamination with
particulate matter, according to Reuters. The
health ministry said the people who died were
men in their 30s and that investigations into
the cause of their deaths is still underway.
Yesterday the health ministry said most of the
foreign material in the Moderna doses in Okinawa
was fragments of rubber stoppers from the vials,
according to the Japan Times.
Europe Sees Mixed Picture, Vaccination
Stagnation
At a briefing, Hans Henri Kluge, MD, MPH, who
directs the World Health Organization (WHO)
European regional office, said 33 countries
reported a more than 10% rise in COVID-19 cases
over the past two weeks. "This high transmission
is deeply worrying – particularly in the light
of low vaccination uptake in priority
populations in a number of countries," he said.
Kluge also warned that a number of countries are
seeing more hospitalizations and deaths, which
increased 11% in the region last week. He added
that one reliable group projects 236,000 deaths
in Europe by Dec 1.
Growth in COVID activity is driven by the more
transmissible Delta variant, the easing of
restrictions, and more travel, he noted.
Regarding vaccination, the pace of immunization
has slowed over the past six weeks, partly due
to supply and partly due to lack of acceptance.
In Europe's lower- and middle-income countries,
only 6% of the population is fully vaccinated.
Researchers Detail C.1.2 Variant
A team of researchers from South Africa, writing
in the preprint server medRxiv, recently
described a new variant of interest called
C.1.2, which they said has mutations seen in
variants of concern that have been linked to
increased transmissibility and reduced
neutralization. They also noted other mutations
that could impact neutralization and replication
fitness.
The virus evolved from one of the lineages that
dominated South Africa's first wave. So far, the
variant has been found in six of nine South
African provinces, as well as in the Democratic
Republic of Congo, Mauritius, New Zealand,
Portugal, and Switzerland.
Though the characteristics and epidemiology of
the virus are still being defined, they said
it's important to track the lineage, given its
concerning group of mutations.
On Twitter today, Maria Van Kerkhove, PhD, the
World Health Organization's (WHO's) technical
lead for COVID-19, said the more the virus
circulates, the more opportunity it has to
change. She said the WHO has been in regular
touch with South African researchers who have
been sequencing the virus and that they first
briefed the WHO on their C.1.2 variant findings
in July.
So far, about 100 C.1.2 sequences have been
reported globally since May. The variant so far
doesn't appear to be increasing in circulation,
but more sequencing and samples are needed.
"Delta appears dominant from available
sequences," she added.
US Intelligence Source Probe Findings
Following a presentation to the Biden
Administration last week, US intelligence
agencies on Aug 27 released an unclassified
summary of the report on the origin of the
coronavirus, which said the origin is still
uncertain, but leans toward a jump from animals
to humans. President Biden in May had ordered a
90-day intelligence investigation into the
source of SARS-CoV-2.
One of the agencies leaned toward the lab leak
theory, but they agreed that SARS-CoV-2 wasn't
developed as a bioweapon and that Chinese
officials didn't know about the virus before the
Wuhan outbreak began in the fall of 2019.
The group said it's impossible to be more
definitive without more assistance from China.
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