surgical mask
oro-nasal cover worn by health professionals to reduce spread of airborne pathogens
AI overview
A surgical mask is a protective covering worn over the nose and mouth, primarily by healthcare workers, designed to reduce the spread of airborne germs and infections. It matters because it helps protect patients and others nearby from potentially harmful pathogens that the wearer might otherwise transmit through breathing, speaking, or coughing.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Article
A surgical mask, also known by other names such as a medical face mask or procedure mask, is a personal protective equipment used by healthcare professionals that serves as a mechanical barrier that interferes with direct airflow in and out of respiratory orifices (i.e. nose and mouth). This helps reduce airborne transmission of pathogens and other aerosolized contaminants between the wearer and nearby people via respiratory droplets ejected when sneezing, coughing, forceful expiration or unintentionally spitting when talking, etc. Surgical masks may be labeled as surgical, isolation, dental or medical procedure masks.
Although the material of which surgical masks are made will filter out some viruses and bacteria by trapping the aerosol suspended in breathed air, they only provide partial protection from airborne diseases because of the typically loose fit between the mask edges and the wearer's face. Surgical masks are distinct from filtering respirators, such as those made to the American N95 standard, which are more airtight and purposefully designed to protect against finer airborne particles.