Can Face Masks Flatten COVID-19 Curve?
Coronavirus (COVID-19) is arguably a preventable disease, which has skyrocketed the demand for disposable, N95, and other types of surgical face masks from general public and healthcare professionals. Clinova— a U.K.-based global digital consumer healthcare company suggests that wearing a mask prevents a high percentage of coronavirus droplets from entering into the respiratory system of healthy humans, thus rendering the importance of wearing surgical face masks when individuals venture outdoors. Hence, companies in the surgical face masks market are capitalizing on this trend to accelerate their production capabilities, as there is an unprecedented demand for PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) from healthcare professionals amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.On the other hand, respiratory face masks are becoming popular for effective protection against oily aerosols, fine dust, and even infection respiratory pathogens. Hence, companies in the surgical face masks market are growing increasingly aware about high-speed converting lines to boost their production levels.
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High-speed Converting Lines Accelerate Production of Surgical Face Masks
The surgical face masks market is projected to grow at a striking CAGR of ~11% during the assessment period. This indicates a continuous demand for disposable and reusable masks in hospital settings and diagnostic lab environments. Hence, innovators in the surgical face masks market are introducing high-speed converting lines to accelerate the production of masks. Recently, in April 2020, Andritz AG— an Austrian plant engineering group, announced the launch of their fully automatic and high-speed converting line that accelerates the production of surgical face masks.
High-speed converting lines are being increasingly used to manufacture disposable face masks. This is evident since the revenue of disposable face masks is expected to exponentially grow in the market for surgical face masks. These novel converting lines are generating incremental opportunities for face mask manufacturers in the domain of N95 and FFP2 (Filtering FacePiece) masks.
Researchers Develop Safe Substance-formulations to Render Viruses Harmless upon Contact with Masks
It has been found that not all surgical face masks are effective in containing the spread of diseases. Hence, researchers are making innovative improvements in surgical face masks that not just trap viruses but also render them harmless. For instance, Hyo-Jick Choi, a professor at the University of Alberta Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, developed a salt formulation that can be applied to the filters of the masks in order to deactivate the virus particles. Thus, companies in the surgical face masks market should collaborate with such researchers to make new improvements in masks.
Companies in the surgical face masks market are increasing their R&D activities to understand the dynamics of simple chemistry to innovate in masks. They are also increasing efforts to improve the efficacy of the fiber filter inside the masks. Experimental scientists are using safe substances such as table salt to develop formulations that render viruses harmless upon contact.
Reusable Surgical Masks Help Reduce Environmental Footprint and Promote Recyclability
The surgical face masks market is estimated to cross a revenue mark of ~US$ 13 Bn by the end of 2030. However, the issue of plastic pollution is likely to hamper the growth of the surgical face masks market. As such, the revenue of polypropylene (PP) masks is anticipated to grow aggressively in the market for surgical face masks. However, PP masks break down into micro-plastics that are potentially killing the aquatic ecosystem and wildlife.
An overuse of PP masks has led to increased recycling activities. However, the adoption of recycling processes is still in its nascent stage. Hence, companies in the market for surgical face masks are increasing the awareness about reusable masks that help to significantly reduce environmental footprint.
