The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) stated that people with respiratory symptoms and health care personnel when caring for patients should wear facemasks to protect themselves from infection.However, since the number of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) infection has been on the rise, healthy individuals could don on cotton facemasks to prevent pandemic influenza A (H1N1) infection.

Respiratory diseases are usually transmitted through patients coughing or sneezing on another person. When viruses on respiratory droplets travel through air and healthy individuals inhale the aerosolized droplets, the droplets will accumulate in the upper respiratory tract, including the nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx, trachea and bronchi. Healthy individuals can become infected when a large amount of concentrated virus is inhaled.On the other hand, healthy individuals can also become infected when their hands touch surface contaminated with droplets containing viruses and then touch their eyes, mouth or nose without washing their hands first. The particle size of droplets coughed and sneezed out varies.Smaller particles quickly become evaporated and diluted when in the air, diminishing the viral infectivity of such particles.However, larger particles do not become evaporated and diluted as quickly when in the air.Therefore, the spread of larger particles is the primary route of influenza virus transmission.About 80~90% of the particles coughed and sneezed out are 6 micrometers and above in diameter.Cotton facemask are 80% effective at blocking particles that are 6 micrometers and above in diameter.Hence, in order for healthy individuals to prevent pandemic influenza A (H1N1) infection, wearing a cotton facemask could provide a desirable level of personal protection.Further, cotton facemasks can be reused, which is economic and environmental-friendly.

Nevertheless, healthy individuals only need to don on flat/pleated or cotton facemasks to reduce pandemic influenza A (H1N1) infection when visiting crowded or poorly ventilated places. Since cotton facemasks have high air permeability, they provide breathing comfort.Further, they are suitable for people of all ages. Parents are advised to prepare 2~3 cotton facemasks for their children for use to prevent pandemic influenza A (H1N1) infection.

The desirable level of personal protection provided by medical facemasks such as N95 respirators and surgical facemasks can only be achieved through proper wearing and fitting.As medical facemasks provide a higher level of personal protection, they provide less breathing comfort.More importantly, improper wearing and fitting of medical facemasks through constant readjustment may increase the chance of infection.