Does a face mask protect from swine flu?

We have become a very paranoid society and feel that by covering our eyes, nose and mouth, micro-organisms cannot enter the body. During the swine flu epidemic, thousands of people were wondering on the streets wearing face masks and looking like zombies. To date, there is no evidence that face mask can protect you from swine flu.


The majority of studies on usefulness of masks are from hospitals. Health care workers generally wear face masks when dealing with infectious disorders but they also wear disposable gowns, gloves and wash hands (at least some do).

During the SARS outbreak in China in 2003, there were some studies done which showed that face masks when combined with other protective clothing did protect against the virus. However, this study was only hospital based and did not look at the general population.

In a few studies done on household members and prevention of seasonal flu, the use of face masks combined with hand washing did not reveal any significant differences. The studies showed that the virus was prevented only when combined with regular hand washing and if the mask was worn within 36 hours of acquiring the symptoms. Unfortunately in our society, the majority of people do not even wash their hands after pooping. It is very unlikely that these individuals will ever wash their hands on a regular basis.

The majority of facial masks prevent organisms from leaving your body and do not hinder organisms from getting into the nasal passage and lung. Moreover, the masks have to be changed every 60-120 minutes to retain their effectiveness because the mask pores get wet and clogged from hot breath.

So if you want to prevent swine or seasonal flu, get a carton of masks and make sure everyone in the home wears them. Finally, the masks have to be disposed off carefully to avoid infecting others.

In general masks are only useful if you have been diagnosed with swine flu and want to avoid passing it on to others or if you are caring for an individual at home with swine flu.