Hot-selling face masks ineffective against H7N9 bird flu
Staff Reporter 2013-04-10 15:13
A child feeds pigeons in Shanxi. (File photo/CNS)
Sales of face masks have increased dramatically since the H7N9 outbreak surfaced in China. The masks provide nothing more than psychological comfort, however, and are completely ineffective at warding off the virus, say medical experts.
The number of masks sold on Taobao, the leading e-commerce platform in China, has surged by 261% over the last seven days, a staggering 1,183% growth compared to the same period last year. The biggest number of masks were sold in Beijing, followed by the cities of Shanghai, Xi'an, Tianjin, Chendu and Hangzhou, according to the Netease news portal.
Prices of masks range from less than one yuan to several hundred, with 3M brand masks topping sales charts. 3M's store on the Tmall platform has been selling 3,000-5,000 masks a day, ten times higher than before the new strain of avian influenza surfaced in eastern China.
3M China said its masks are industrial grade and only available through its official online stores. The firm was unwilling to reveal the actual number of masks it has sold but confirmed that sales have increased.
Zhang Yingzeng, secretary-general for the China Antibacterial Association, said face masks cannot block the H7N9 virus, however. The N95 mask is an industrial mask that many members of the public have taken to using owing to severe urban air pollution. The masks can filter out harmful airborne particles but no evidence yet suggests that the masks can prevent H7N9 infection.
A source in the industry said people who have cardiovascular or respiratory diseases and pregnant women should not wear a mask. Some people may suffer from dizziness, have difficulty breathing or experience skin allergies after wearing a mask, according to Netease.
