Masks Seen Through The Microscope: Which are the Most Effective Against COVID-19?

Now that a year has passed since the World Health Organisation proclaimed the spread of the COVID-19 infection a pandemic, people are still arguing about what type of mask gives the most effective protection.

Experts agree that the more filters a mask has the more effective it is. They say a surgical mask is the best solution to protect oneself against viruses.

If you look at a mask through an electronic microscope you will be able to see fibres of the material it is made of. 

Check out Sputnik's gallery to find out which types of mask will give you the best protection against the coronavirus.

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© REUTERS / E. P. Vicenzi/Smithsonian's Museum Conservation Institute and NIST

A cross-section of a cotton flannel face mask and its over/under weave photographed using a scanning electron microscope.

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© REUTERS / E. P. Vicenzi/Smithsonian's Museum Conservation Institute and NIST

Fibres of a face mask made of rayon photographed using a scanning electron microscope.

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© REUTERS / E. P. Vicenzi/Smithsonian's Museum Conservation Institute and NIST

A false-colour image showing a cross-section of one layer of an N95 respirator mask.

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© REUTERS / E. P. Vicenzi/Smithsonian's Museum Conservation Institute and NIST

Individual fibres in a cotton flannel face mask photographed using a scanning electron microscope.

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© REUTERS / E. P. Vicenzi/Smithsonian's Museum Conservation Institute and NIST

The fibres of a polyester mask seen through a microscope.

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© REUTERS / E. P. Vicenzi/Smithsonian's Museum Conservation Institute and NIST

Fibres of a polyester face mask seen through a microscope.

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© REUTERS / E. P. Vicenzi/Smithsonian's Museum Conservation Institute and NIST

Top-down views of cotton flannel (L) and polyester face masks, photographed using a scanning electron microscope.

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© REUTERS / E. P. Vicenzi/Smithsonian's Museum Conservation Institute and NIST

Polyester fibres in a face mask.