Team develops mask accessory to improve the efficiency of surgical mask

Sabrina Paseman’s brother-in-law is a hospital worker and reported that, soon after the Covid-19 pandemic hit the United stated, the hospital was quickly running out of N95 protective masks. Trying to help, Sabrina spent some days calling mask manufacturers to see where they could source more masks but ended up realizing that the supply would not be enough to cover the high demand.

So, she turned her attention to surgical masks: much more available but also less effective. Through her research, Sabrina found that ASTM level 1 surgical masks are certified to filter 95% of particles as small as 0,1 microns. However, unlike N95 masks, surgical mask do not provide a tight seal around the face, increasing the potential for infection.

Together with her friend Megan Duong, they founded Fix the Mask, a non-profit created with the purpose of making readily available surgical masks more efficient. As a result of their research, they created a brace that make masks fit tightly around the face. The brace is made out of a rubber sheet, so it can be cleaned and reused, and is meant to be placed over the masks, around the mouth and chin.

At the website, they have shared the designs of the brace so anyone can replicate it and they also started a kickstarter campaign to start manufacturing them in large scale. The team has been working together with the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and University of Iowa Carver School of Medicine to test the fit of the system, making sure it provides a tight seal, preventing particles from going through.

They have shared a Do-It-Yourself version of the brace that can be made using 3 common rubber bands which, though less efficient, greatly improves the fit of the masks.

Adapted from: https://www.fastcompany.com/90508168/this-ex-apple-designer-has-a-simple...
https://www.businessinsider.com/diy-face-mask-n95-ex-apple-engineer-surg...

More information: https://www.fixthemask.com/
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/essentialbrace/essential-brace-desi...

https://youtu.be/yBwY14ou0-c , https://youtu.be/CVjGCPfRwUo