People have jumped on practical solutions like washing hands and wearing masks in an attempt to limit the spread of COVID-19. But one question we’ve not seen answered is: where are these protective methods most important? Or put another way, where’s the riskiest place to catch COVID-19, and where should we be taking the most […]
Clean Air Blog • Page 1
COVID-19 Lockdown Slashes PM2.5 in India’s 6 Biggest Cities
Recent news reported that the coronavirus lockdown is causing dramatic reduction in air pollution across India due to coronavirus lockdown. This is good news for lungs across the subcontinent, since Indian cities often make news as some of the most polluted in the world. Some cities average PM2.5 ten times the WHO annual limit. Lockdown […]
Are Polypropylene Bags Effective as DIY Face Masks for COVID-19?
In the rush to make homemade masks, many people are wondering whether non-woven polypropylene bags are effective at filtering viruses. These bags are incredibly popular in places like Asia and Africa, where they are a common alternative to flimsy plastic shopping bags. Why Non-Woven Polypropylene Bags Make Great Homemade Masks These shopping bags […]
How Dental Clinics Can Protect Against COVID-19
Dental clinics may be high-risk places for COVID-19 infection. In places like hospitals and on public transport, people can wear face masks to protect themselves and reduce the chance of virus transmission. However during a dental operation or surgery, patients must remove their mask. This presents a bigger risk of contamination and infection. The […]
Half of Chinese N95 Masks Tested Fail to Meet Standards
Amid the scramble for protective equipment, factories in China have popped up to seemingly overnight to meet the demand. Yet tests of masks from 21 manufacturers shows half of respirators being marketed as N95 fail to meet that standard – with some no better than a cotton cloth. Factories Spring Up to Meet Mask […]
How to Find Reliable N95 Mask Suppliers
After testing 31 masks from 19 suppliers in China, we discovered that almost half of the masks were not meeting the N95 standards for filtering particles. What’s more, out of the 17 masks that did meet the N95 standard, most of these broke when we tried some simple structural tests. Many people are currently looking […]
Testing China KN95 & N95 Masks – Supplemental Data
This article accompanies our article on the reliability of KN95 masks being produced in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. It covers our testing method and provides the original data. China N95 Masks – Test Method During our mask tests, we followed as closely as possible the testing method used to certify N95 and KN95 masks. […]
Does Wearing Surgical Masks with The Wrong Side Out Affect Their Ability to Capture Viruses?
Amid the rush for masks with the coronavirus, we’ve found that some people are wearing masks the wrong way round! But does wearing surgical masks the wrong way round affect their ability to capture viruses? Some online sources claim it doesn’t matter, like this one. Surgical masks are made up of 3 layers, and […]
Which Way Round Does a Surgical Mask Go?
Surgical masks are designed to be worn in one direction only. But it can be difficult to know exactly which way round the mask should go. Some surgical masks have a colored side, which faces outwards, but others don’t. In this post, we’ll cover why surgical masks should be worn properly, what each layer in […]
COVID-19 Lockdown Leads to PM2.5 Reductions in 11 Out of 12 of China’s Major Cities.
The lockdown caused by the COVID-19 epidemic saw the numbers of trucks and buses on the road reduce by 77% and 36%, respectively. Hundreds of factories were also closed for an extended period of time. Despite Smart Air analysis showing an increase in PM2.5 levels during February, there have been reports that over the period […]
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