New Standards Will Help You Choose an Effective COVID-19 Face Mask

You could soon start seeing new labels that cover filtration efficiency, fit, and breathability.

For almost a year, many Americans have been wearing cloth face coverings to limit the spread of the coronavirus—but without clear guidelines on which types or brands of consumer masks are best. That changed recently with the publication of the first-ever standard for “barrier face coverings,” created through ASTM International, an organization that creates voluntary performance standards for thousands of consumer products.

It’s unclear when certified face masks will be available for sale, but manufacturers can start taking advantage of the standard immediately.

While surgical masks, N95 masks, and other medical-grade personal protective equipment have long had established standards in place, this new standard for everyday face masks is a first, and is meant to provide a benchmark for both manufacturers and the general public. Manufacturers will be encouraged to comply with the standard, and consumers will be able to have confidence in compliant products, knowing that they meet the standard.p

The new standard, which applies to face coverings worn by the general public and workers outside of healthcare settings, will provide guidelines for how well masks should filter out airborne particles, as well as for their breathability, fit, and labeling. The standard will also provide guidance on cleaning and how long masks can be used.

To meet the standard, manufacturers need to have their masks tested by an independent third-party lab. The products that pass will be able to note on their labeling that they are certified as ASTM-compliant, which will signal to consumers that those face coverings have been vetted.

The standard will be a big help to consumers. Currently, most people have no idea what to look for or how to judge a mask when shopping for one. Probably the No. 1 question from the general public [is],”how do I know this is a good mask?” With the new standards, manufacturers can share their mask’s filtration efficiency, fit, and breathability, and consumers can easily pick masks with higher numbers.

We have lacked an established standard for consumer face masks since the past springtime. While it would have been ideal to have the standard in place sooner, arriving at one was complicated, requiring input from a group of manufacturers, government officials, academics, medical experts, and consumers. And compared with the typical ASTM process, this was surprisingly rapid.

ASTM came up with two classifications for the mask standard: a lower level 1, which is the minimum level required to meet the ASTM standard, and a higher level 2, for manufacturers that want to produce face coverings that go beyond the ASTM minimum.

Level 1 ASTM-certified masks will have to show via independent testing that they can filter out at least 20 percent of particles smaller than a micron, which is roughly the size of the respiratory droplets that generally carry the coronavirus. Level 2 ASTM-certified masks will have to show that they filter out at least 50 percent of these particles.

By way of comparison, the ASTM-certified masks will be required to filter out far less than an N95 mask but will still offer much more protection than do most consumer face coverings currently on the market. At present, half of what is sold doesn’t meet either level 1 or level 2 of the new standard. But as the standard starts to be applied, consumers will have a way to choose. For more detailed information, I suggest consulting the following link.

https://www.consumerreports.org/personal-protective-equipment/ways-to-upgrade-your-mask/