An award winning Cumbrian company has stepped into the fight against Coronavirus by supplying an effective new face mask for personal use.
The re-usable, face contoured mask uses a woven spacer fabric that inhibits virus transmission through its inbuilt filtration system.
Backed by Harley Street consultant Mr Ian Bayley, the masks can be washed and dried within minutes for re-use, and scientific testing has confirmed that their barrier protection properties are significantly better than the FFP2 face masks worn by NHS staff.
Ray Blackmore, Director of BrodPod Ltd said: “We wanted to do our bit to help protect people against the Coronavirus and decided to add masks to our therapy product range. Face masks are fast becoming the new reality and latest Government advice is to wear a face covering where social distancing is not possible.
“Our masks uniquely incorporate ten millimetres of woven filament fabric and they are structured to prevent the inner surface from coming into contact with the nostrils and mouth. That provides a greater barrier which may help to reduce the risk of high viral transmission into the respiratory tract.
“The masks are one size to fit most adults and older children. They are designed to make a seal around the lower face, are lightweight, pleasantly breathable and can be comfortably worn for some time.
“We can see them being worn a lot as you may not know when you meet someone if they are contagious, and they also provide a real confidence boost.
“BrodPod is an established and trusted brand, people can buy from us with confidence. We are not claiming that our masks give 100% protection and they are not intended for frontline health workers. We are, however, delighted to get a scientific evaluation on how much they can help.”
Masks are sold in packs of 2 and available through the website – www.brodpod.co.uk
Consultant Mr Ian Bayley said: “I think this new design is a welcome breakthrough, a real game-changer and a typical bit of British ingenuity. I believe that this new respiratory face covering is the best of all the devices currently out there for public use.
“This virus is likely to survive at varying levels within populations for some time and we need to find ways to limit transmission.
“From what I have seen, the level of infection that gets into the nostrils dictates the severity of the illness. If we can limit that with these new masks and help stop a full bombardment, we will be less at risk.
“Normal paper masks as used in hospitals get wet and become useless. They are single use and have to be replaced every 20 minutes, as I am seeing in my hospital work.”
