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CNN LIVE AT DAYBREAK

Do Masks Work When It Comes to Preventing Spread of SARS?

Aired May 1, 2003 - 06:50   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

ARTHEL NEVILLE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So, do the masks work when it comes to preventing the spread of SARS?
Our health consultant, Lisa Drayer, is here with some answers. She joins us now from New York.

Good morning, Lisa.

So, you know, we see the pictures of those people wearing those masks and they even have designer masks.

LISA DRAYER, NUTRITIONIST: Right.

NEVILLE: But do those work?

DRAYER: Right. Well, believe we talk about masks, it's important to understand how SARS spreads. Now, the primary way that it appears to spread is through direct contact with infectious material. So, for example, someone with SARS sneezes or coughs and then emits droplets that contain the corona virus, the virus believed to be the cause of SARS, and then this gets inhaled by someone standing nearby.

Now, the CDC recommends two types of masks for controlling SARS. The first is a surgical mask and it looks like this. It has strings. And the surgical mask can actually trap droplets of an infected person. So this is meant for someone who has SARS.

Now, we might be thinking well, what about someone like you and me? Would it protect us? Essentially it would serve the same purpose, that is, it would serve as a physical barrier to prevent any droplets from coming nearby.

But, if it is proven that SARS is an airborne disease, that is, it can be spread throughout the air, then the surgical mask wouldn't do the job because it doesn't have a snug fit and the special filters that a respiratory mask has.

Now, this is an M95 respiratory mask. It has a nose clip on top. It has a snug fit and a special weave. It has special filters that help to filter airborne particles. In fact, this is what the CDC requires health professionals to wear in hospitals where there are airborne precautions.

Now, 95 simply means that it prevents the spread of 95 percent of a given concentration of particles. But, it's important that when people wear these in the hospital that they're fit tested for them, that they receive proper training and once they come in contact with a patient with SARS, that they discard them after.

NEVILLE: You know, quickly, Lisa, can regular people get those masks that you just showed me?

DRAYER: Yes. You can go to a surgical supply store to get them. They are mostly serving hospital personnel. In fact, they might not have available, because this is the priority. But you can get them at a surgical place. But, again, the CDC is right now recommending these for health care personnel, not necessarily someone like you or me.

If we go to an infected area, let's say if we travel to Hong Kong, the most important thing that we can do is wash our hands thoroughly. We can wear the surgical mask. It will, again, provide that physical barrier to prevent droplets from coming nearby. And it also might make us feel better psychologically. So that's definitely a good thing, as well.

NEVILLE: OK, Lisa Drayer, good information for us here.

Thank you very much.

Good to see you.

DRAYER: Thank you.

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