Health officials including CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) state that face masks may indeed reduce the risk of getting influenza. This respirator mask meets CDC guidelines and provides protection against flu virus. It is approved as an N95 respirator under NIOSH 42CFR84 Standard.

These masks come in 1 / 2 boxes, 30 pieces each.

Respirator face masks provide protection against the inhalation of nasopharyngeal, tracheobronchial and alveolar sized particles and offer a physical barrier to contact with contaminated hands and ballistic trajectory particles, such as particles expelled by a sneeze or a cough.

This NIOSH / FDA approved mask provides:

High Bacterial Filtration Efficiency (BFE), filtering particles one micron in size or smaller
Low breathing resistance with 98% filter efficiency
Soft lining and fiberglass free materials for excellent wearing comfort even for long hours, non-irritating to the skin
A tight facial seal (less than 10% leak)

The mask meets filtration requirements for the prevention of the inhalation of viral pathogens. Influenza viruses including Bird and Swine Flu can be frequently transmitted through people who are sneezing and coughing. The mask provides proper fluid resistance to block the droplets of viral pathogens from being inhaled.

A face mask is a simple and effective measure to help prepare for a Bird / Swine Flu pandemic.

Recommendations

Face masks and respirators are most useful for people who are in crowded settings, such as classrooms or airplanes, or when you must be in close contact with an infected person.

Health experts note that face masks and respirators should be used along with other precautions, such as frequent hand-washing, covering coughs, staying at home if ill and avoiding crowds.

Precautions

Although face masks provide effective protection of the mouth and nose from germs, it's better to try to avoid close contact with people who might be infected.