medical-grade masks
Clinical face protection
Medical-grade masks are protective face coverings that meet regulatory standards for use in healthcare settings.
Unlike cloth masks or basic surgical masks, they filter a high percentage of airborne particles and are rated by organizations like NIOSH or FDA: N95s and KN95s are medical-grade masks.
The term gained widespread use during the COVID-19 pandemic when guidance distinguished between everyday masks and those offering clinical-level protection.
- N95Particle-filtering face mask
- surgicalRelating to operations
- respiratorBreathing protection device
- tight sealImpermeable joining of surfaces
- filtrationSeparating solids from liquids
PPE · personal protective equipment · healthcare · sterile · disposable · single use · protection · face shield · earloops · breathable · hospital · pandemic · flu season · sanitized · airborne · droplet transmission · particulate · air quality