There are over 90,000 known cases of the Coronavirus by 2020.03.03. Over 3000 people have died from this fast-acting mega-germ. At last count, cases of the Coronavirus- COVID19, has spread to 77 different countries and is now a real global health threat.
Because of the Coronavirus, there is a huge mask shortage. To protect against the new coronavirus, the N95 respirator is recommended, but most people could not find a way to apply for or purchase it.
Could wearing a cycling fact mask protect you from the Coronavirus?

First, let’s learn about Filtering facepiece Respirators (FFR) which subject to various regulatory standards around the world. These standards specify certain required physical properties and performance characteristics in order for respirators to claim compliance with the particular standard.
• N95 (United States NIOSH-42CFR84)
• FFP2 (Europe EN 149-2001)
• KN95 (China GB2626-2006)
• P2 (Australia/New Zealand AS/NZA 1716:2012)
• Korea 1st class (Korea KMOEL - 2017-64)
• DS (Japan JMHLW-Notification 214, 2018)


KN95 and N95 are actually the same in terms of particle filtration efficiency, they mean that the mask provides the intended effectiveness of filtering 95 percent of particles- PM0.3 (diameter of 0.3 micrometers), PM2.5, PM10, etc. But not all KN95 masks are medical protective masks. In China, there are two types of KN95 masks, one is a KN95 medical protective mask, and the other is a dust-proof mask.
They have the same protection level and pass the KN95 level test, but the protection standards are different. The standard for medical protective masks is GB19083-2010, which passes the synthetic blood penetration test (prevents body fluids and blood splash ), is used in the medical and health industry, such as epidemic prevention stations, hospitals, and disease control centers. The standard for dust masks is GB2626-2006, which is used in industries such as coal mining, petroleum processing, mining and other industrial enterprises.
If you are away from the infected person, the standard GB2626-2006 dust-proof mask can be selected because the size of the virus is within the filtering range.
If you will contact with infected people, the KN95 medical protective mask is a must to prevent the droplet infection caused by the patient's body fluid or blood splash.


Could wearing a cycling fact mask protect you from the Coronavirus?
No, this mask could not protect you from the Coronavirus. It may be a bit help wearing a cycling mask with a KN95-GB2626-2006 dust filter as they may block liquid droplets. The masks also leave the eyes exposed and there is evidence that some viruses can infect a person through the eyes.

The best way to avoid getting the Coronavirus is,
1. stop any travel to places with known outbreaks，avoid any gather.
2. Wash your hands thoroughly, wash your hands with soap at least 20 seconds.
3. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands;
4. Avoid close contact with people who are sick;
5. Disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

In China, many public places are prohibited from entering if you are not wearing a mask. No matter it is a KN95 mask or a medical mask or a general outdoor or cycling mask, it is passable in these places. Maybe the General outdoor mask could not prevent you from the Coronavirus but it is a good way to lowdown the spread from the infected people.