FFP2 in crisis

The beginning of autumn was marked by a sharp increase in cases in all the major European countries, which responded by stepping up precautionary measures to protect citizens and the most vulnerable groups. Face masks are once again the primary means of limiting the risk of spreading or contracting COVID-19. Countries such as France, Italy, the UK and Spain are considering making the use of masks mandatory, both outdoors and indoors, in order to limit the spread of the virus as much as possible.

In addition to the classic blue surgical masks, which are quite suitable for not infecting others but less suitable for protecting oneself, there are also certified filter face masks available for purchase. When you go looking for filtering masks that have passed scientific tests to confirm their protective properties, you’ll quickly come across initials like FFP2, KN95 and N95, especially if you’re looking for something that will protect you from pollutants or microparticles that carry viruses.

The Chinese standard of N95, which is said to have an equivalent specification to N95/FFP2 respirators. According to 3M: “It is reasonable to consider the Chinese KN95 as equivalent to the US N95 NIOSH respirators.” The problem is that there have been some quality control issues with the KN95 respirators and the increase in demand has led to a shortage.

FFP2 masks may be marked with the letter (R) for “reusable” or (NR) for “non-reusable”. Most FFP2 masks fall into the latter category – they are protective devices that become less effective over time. For this reason, an FFP2 mask in high-risk environments typically lasts about eight hours or a single work shift. Even if worn at a safe distance in low-risk areas, the mask should still be discarded after eight hours as the filtering capacity and physical integrity are gradually compromised by breathing and moisture. Once they have become significantly wet, FFP2 masks should be discarded.