| Bird flu is caused by the influenza A type of virus | | | | Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports |
| which is hosted by birds and some animal species | | | | that there have been no scientific studies which |
| like pigs, horses, etc. and just like any other | | | | unquestionably establish masks as 100% effective |
| influenza virus it propagates via air, water, direct | | | | in preventing the spread of the flu virus.The |
| contact, body fluids and excreta. With the flu virus | | | | masks that are recommended for especially bird |
| being airborne, the contamination in air could be | | | | flu are N-95, NIOSH approved ones which are |
| reasonably high during epidemics and/or pandemic | | | | capable of filtering out 95% of 0.3 micron wide flu |
| outbreak. Infected people carry the flu virus with | | | | viruses. WHO recommends strictly using these |
| them wherever they travel and spread it in the | | | | masks when in the vicinity (within 3 feet) of a |
| air and on objects they touch via their nasal | | | | potentially infected person. Also the masks should |
| secretions and bodily discharges. This makes such | | | | be disposed off, after one single use. Another set |
| diseases like human influenza and bird flu | | | | of very powerful, protective masks are Powered |
| contagious.The preventive measures include | | | | Air-Purifying Respirators (PAPRs). These are used |
| combinations of various partly effective methods | | | | by persons who cannot wear N-95 masks, like |
| like vaccination, immunization, isolation, mass killing | | | | people with facial hair.There is more to mask |
| (when poultry birds get infected), and use of | | | | usage than just filtering out viruses. Masks can |
| Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).One such PPE | | | | also help in many indirect ways apart from |
| device is a mask worn by people living or working | | | | blocking flu viruses directly, however we must |
| in contaminated environments. Nose and mouth | | | | bear in mind an unfortunate fact that no mask is |
| respirators or 'Masks' contain filters which keep | | | | a guarantee against protecting its user from the |
| out microscopic viruses of sizes as low as 0.3 | | | | viruses. It's just that they dramatically cut down |
| microns. Typically the droplets containing the flu | | | | the probability of infection. There is no single way |
| virus in a human sneeze, cough or spit are 0.5 | | | | of preventing bird flu until a generic vaccine is |
| micron wide and are difficult to filter using | | | | developed. Until then we'll have to rely on a |
| conventional (surgical) masks.Usage of procedural | | | | combination of various measures to keep |
| and surgical masks has been widespread for | | | | ourselves safe.Clive Jenkins recommends the Bird |
| curtailing the spread of common respiratory | | | | Flu Helpsite which will provide you with |
| diseases. Recently they were used by personnel | | | | comprehensive information on all aspects of the |
| involved in controlling SARS. However, Centre for | | | | Bird Flu Virus. |