Making prudent choices about the type of face mask one should wear followed by its disciplined use and thorough disinfection subsequent to use are crucial steps towards lowering the chances of contracting the swine flu virus. The N-95 masks were highly popular at the time of the Sars scare after been tested are advocated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for all pandemic situations. It is available in varying models with greater than 95% filtration efficiency and aids in reducing exposure to particles of the size greater than 0.3 microns. It is made of non- woven polypropylene fibre technology that raises the density and filtering capacity. These masks produce static electricity and also guard against other highly contagious respiratory infections like tuberculosis. The N-95 (American name for it), P2 (the European and Australian name) and HEPA masks or respirators are to a significant extent the same thing. Though the gelatinous layered paper made surgical mask prevent entry  [...]

One can only feel feeble at the myriad episodes of the deadly flu virus strains that keep surfacing from time to time. As one pans back to almost less than a century ago, when a colossal mayhem struck with the Spanish flu epidemic where numerous cases of breathlessness, respiratory tract discomfort and inevitable, fatal, internal bleeding to the vital organs were accounted. Millions lost their lives since no public awareness or effectual and timely medical treatments were available then. Even now many third world countries still face the brunt of these epidemics with harrowing recurrence. The next shot in the arm occurred during 2005, when a noxious strain of H5N1, named the Bird flu can into existence. With surmounting evidence that this influenza strain were passed through infected poultry birds in comparison to the marine birds, that would successfully carry the infection in their bodies without falling sick, one saw a surge of numerous poultry culling events. There were escalating  [...]