Although there has been an incredible and alarming rise in human cases of bird flu, causing increasing fear of a global pandemic, there seems to be a strong resolve in the scientific community to combat this impending and much dreaded pandemic.
Concern about bird flu has risen since October 5 when scientists from the U.S. Army and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported finding similarities between the bird flu strain in Asia, called H5N1, and the Spanish flu that killed as many as 50 million people in 1918 and early 1919. Following these comments, the concerns over a bird flu epidemic surged, and people started seeking reassurance by getting prepared with face coverage.NanoMask, developed by the company Emergency Filtration Products, is the first facemask in the world to utilize nanotechnology enhanced filter media to effectively isolate and destroy viral and bacterial contaminants. Nanoparticles enhance the intrinsic filtration efficiency of the media by acting as a destructive absorbent to kill virus and bacteria that come in contact with the filtration system. The comfortable two-piece facemask is completely adjustable and reusable. Manufacturers and distributors of the NanoMask say that with every report of bird flu concerns, sales spike. The masks, specifically designed to keep out biological hazards, including the bird flu virus, started selling swiftly following the comments last week of U.N. health chief David Nabarro who said that a mutation of the virus affecting Asia could trigger new, widespread outbreaks.
In a latest news release in Taiwan, the Center for Disease Control said that if visitors from Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam show symptoms of bird flu, such as fever, coughing, or a sore throat, the visitors should immediately begin wearing surgical masks and contact a local health department.
