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Corona-virus (COVID-19) has made us helpless. The aggressive spreading of this viral infection has made our lives standstill. It spreads through aerosols emitted from the nose and mouth of an infected person or a carrier.
This disease can also spread due to physical contact. We need to maintain absolute protection by wearing masks and covering ourselves as much as possible. A majority of the population is hit by this infection. Wearing masks is mandatory. The prime disadvantage of wearing masks is improper fitting and breathing issues. Researchers have found spandex as the wonder material to deliver the expected results. Let us find out how it fits into the exact requirement.
Why spandex is the ideal material?
As per the guidelines described by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a mask should cover the nose and mouth properly and let the wearer breathe properly while screening aerosols and droplets in the environment.
Physical distancing can reduce the spreading of infection. This can be a problem in highly-populated areas. In order to eliminate this disease, proper measures should be taken, and manufacturing efficient masks is one of them. Spandex has provided the right foundation to build reusable masks.
Researchers have found an excellent combination of fabric that can work as the right material to manufacture masks at a low price. The results suggest spandex as the ideal material to mix with and create an effective mask. As per the findings, a mask made of a layer of cotton threads and two layers of a polyester-spandex mix (600 threads/inch) can screen or filter 80-99% suspended particles.
The prime reasons for choosing spandex as the ideal material are mentioned below.
Highly stretchable
Spandex is generally used for manufacturing fitness wear and athleisure. It can fit into the shape of a person comfortably and give the right feel. The same can be used to follow the guidelines cited by the WHO and CDC.
A mask needs to be properly fitted on the face of a person. There should be no gap around the nose or mouth from where suspended droplets can enter or exit. Using spandex will solve the problem of fitting a mask that researchers are struggling to achieve.
Spandex can easily recover its original shape when not used. A blend containing spandex is ideal for manufacturing masks due to exceptional stretch-ability.
No obstruction for breathing
One of the prime concerns of using masks is the problem in breathing. A person will not be able to work efficiently when he struggles to breathe normally. In fact, the normal breathing process also helps our body to lose heat and keep us cool.
The conventional masks trap heat and moisture making the wearer feels uncomfortable. Using spandex-blend fabric is ideal as it will not obstruct breathing. A person will feel ease in inhaling and exhaling air.
Reusable
Pollution and spreading of infection from used masks is also a huge concern that researches are worried about. Reusable masks can be the solution. Spandex can be reused after washed and sanitized due to its exceptional stretchable properties. It regains its normal shape when not used and dries up quickly when washed.
Price
Spandex is less costly than what is used to make N95 masks. As mentioned earlier, spandex masks are almost similar to N95 masks in terms of functionality. Hence, it can be an affordable solution. These masks are also quite durable.
In a nutshell
There is no doubt that COVID-19 will take months to get eliminated. Life cannot stop and we need to regain our daily processes. Using spandex masks will be the next best thing in terms of protection from this pandemic.
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