COVID-19: There's been an increase in number of people using Ankara clothing for face mask and nose guard. Even a Governor in this country became an ambassador for it. My worries bothered on how safe is the use of this material as a safety measure against the virus. My little observation of the regular medical nose mask shows that it has 3 layers. A outer layer, the middle filter and the inner layer. Both outside and inner layers keep in position the filtering layer aside protecting it from other contaminating elements. On the other hand, the regular Ankara mask is porous and can allow both pure and impure air to pass through them. As a matter of fact, it's just a regular clothes. I may need the experts in the house to throw more light on this because I'm not so comfortable with the use of Ankara mask if all we're fighting for is the victory over COVID-19 pandemic.

I have thought about this also... many people just get Ankara and Satin material, sew and sell to the public....... does it have same standard with the medical face mask?

I've been asking this same question

I am also curious, even some normal masks are not medically safe let alone the ankara version.

About two month ago, I watched a chinese woman addressing that about fake and original masks.

In the video she wore two medical masks, she lit a candle and blew air from the mask, one blew off the candle while the other didn't.

The one that blew the candle off is the fake, so before you start flaunting your masks in public, test it out using this method.

No it is not.

As you've stated, a good nose mask should only allow a small degree of porosity. An Ankara mask is highly porous and very unsafe. For all Nigerians calling for a relaxation of the lockdown and a strict implementation of a no-nose-mask-no movement policy, I laugh at you in Greek. Nigerians will rush for the Ankara mask.

Even if adequate and medically approved PPE are provided, Nigerians are too stubborn to adhere to anything. Also, has anyone reasoned that FG will only tow the lockdown path because it is cheaper? How? If the lockdown is relaxed for provision of PPE who will buy? Your Buhari? Story.

Even the US is having a hard time finding funds for PPE. This situation we're in is the classic case of being between a rock and a hard place

It is not ideal, but it is better than nothing.

See image attached.

Well, from my little knowledge. I think the only medically fit mask out there is N-95 mask and due to the shortage of the mask globally WHO and other health agencies actually pleaded with everyone tp kindly leave that particular nose mask for our health practitioners that are involved directly with covid 19 cases

To your question, the answer is NO but using your Ankara nose mask and obeying the social distancing is very effective to prevent contamination of the virus