Can surgical masks protect you from getting the flu?

"Australia has just suffered a severe flu season, with 299,211 laboratory-confirmed cases, at last count, and 662 deaths. This might be a sign of what’s to come for the UK and US as the virus spreads to the northern hemisphere.

Flu season in the UK runs from December to March, but can start as early as October, so finding ways to avoid catching the bug start around now. The usual method is to get the flu jab. But the flu vaccine is usually only around 15% effective, so people will be looking for a belt-and-braces approach to avoid getting infected.

The flu virus is mainly spread by droplets expelled from the mouths and noses of infected people when they cough, sneeze or talk. These droplets can spread up to six feet away.

It may seem intuitive that if you wear a surgical mask you could stop the virus from getting into your lungs. And certainly that’s how most masks are marketed online. One flu surgical face mask even boasts: “Protect against the Deadly H1N1 swine flu that has killed many world wide and other bacteria and viruses in the air.”..." Lire la suite