With the recent lifting of the face mask mandate for indoor settings in Malaysia, many parents like you can’t help but worry about their children’s safety amid this ongoing pandemic.
For the past two years, wearing a face mask once you leave the house has been the norm to combat the spread of COVID-19. Over time, this act of mask-wearing started to wane after the mandatory face mask requirement for outdoor settings was lifted on May 1, 2022.
Following the latest announcements, the Education Ministry has followed suit in implementing the optional mask mandate in schools, leaving school children to each their own.
Since masking is a crucial safety measure in schools, especially for children who are too young to be eligible for any COVID-19 vaccine, the best you can do is provide the best face mask for kids. Follow this article to learn how to choose a suitable face mask for your child.
Choosing the Right Face Mask
Choosing the right face mask for your child is important because it will be their first line of defence against all the germs around them. While it can be daunting, the best COVID-19 mask for kids should be easy to put on and take off, while also having a good fit.
If you are considering what the best face mask for children is, it all depends on the environment you need it for, your child’s age and your budget. Here are six tips for finding the best COVID-19 face mask for kids.
Tip 1: Choose a comfortable face mask
A face mask will only serve its purpose if your child wears it correctly. If your child tends to fiddle with it all day long while in school, it could mean that the face mask they’re wearing may not be comfortable to them.
Consider a face mask specifically designed for children like the MEDICOS junior series. These face masks are made with lint-free material to minimise skin reaction while providing your child with enough protection from airborne pollutants.
Tip 2: Choose the right fit
Some masks are made for adults, while some are specifically designed for children. Some masks have a tight fit, while others maybe loose. Even the types of ear loops make a big difference. Painful ears mean they will remove their face mask. So, you should pick a mask that fits closely over your child’s nose, mouth and down to the chin. Choose soft comfort loops that don’t cause pain to their little ears.
For instance, the MEDICOS M99 Junior Respirator has a 3D smart fit design that provides a comfortable fit with comfort loops. What this means for your child is that they enjoy good lip space to talk and space for easy breathing. These features enable them to wear their face mask throughout their hours in school without having the tendency to take it off to breathe easier.
Tip 3: Skip the neck gaiters
A neck gaiter is best known as a tube of fabric meant to protect your neck and face from the sun. While the material makes it easy for children to pull up and down, they don’t have ear loops to secure the fabric around the face. This makes your child susceptible to infectious diseases should they leave the neck gaiter around their necks.
Besides, the fabric’s porosity makes it less protective than a face mask, allowing any airborne particles to flow right through it. The stretchiness of the material also doesn’t do much except for ease of use.
Tip 4: Choose a high-quality face mask
The most popular type of face mask for children are surgical masks, as these are lighter and cost effective. However, depending on the kids’ face mask supplier, some surgical masks come in only 2-ply or 3-ply and with low filtration efficiency. In times like this, your child needs a face mask that can deliver high filtration efficiency yet breathable.
You can consider using a cloth mask that comes with a pocket for the filter. This will help to filter out airborne particles, keeping your child safe from infectious diseases. Getting your child to double-mask is also an option, but they may find it uncomfortable. With MEDICOS M99 Junior Respirator, it is a 5-layers respirator mask and comes with three layers of filtration to ensure 99% filtration efficiency. It is also very breathable with MEDICOS most advanced filtration HydroCharge filters.
Tip 5: Provide fun and colourful mask options
Children tend to mirror what their parents do, and they are certainly capable of wearing a face mask correctly. So, your role in teaching your children proper mask etiquette is to practice good masking techniques at home so your child can do the same when you’re not around.
This means ensuring your child knows how to put the face mask on correctly, especially with the adjustable nose piece on top of their nose bridge and without any gaps around their face. Good masking techniques also include knowing how to dispose of their used face mask and not touching the front of the mask.
With these tips, it will be easier to narrow your choices while searching for the best face mask for kids. Remember that it is crucial to make sure you choose a face mask that will fit your child nicely, as your child is at risk of infectious diseases.
Looking for a high-quality face mask for your child? Visit MEDICOS today!
We all want the best for our children, and we want to protect them from everything that could potentially harm them. MEDICOS is here to ensure everyone who uses our face masks returns home safely to their families. Continue to stay safe with MEDICOS face masks.