Delhi is like smoke trapped in a glass: Guide to which mask you should buy

On Wednesday, November 2, Delhi NCR found itself waking up to the chokehold of a dense blanket of smog that got progressively worse as the day went on. The Air Quality Index chart categorises “401-500” as severe; in Noida the AQI stood at an apocalyptic 1100.

Lt Gen BNBM Prasad, the Indian military’s top doctor and the honorary surgeon to President Pranab Mukherjee, told News 18 that Delhi's pollution levels are a “death sentence” for the children and the aged. 

According to a report in the Times of India, nearly 80 patients reported breathing issues, cough, cold, among other allergies post Diwali, the district hospital in Noida. Dr Abhishek Tripathi, a physician at the district hospital, told TOI that nearly 25 people, mostly with respiratory issues turned up on Wednesday alone. 

This catastrophic increase in air pollution has had a stronghold on the national capital region for the better part of a week now. While some attribute this to the callous use of firecrackers during Diwali, the environment ministry has outlined four main factors that is causing this steep rise in smog, which are burning of solid waste in and around Delhi, vehicular emissions in Delhi, dust by the roadside and around construction sites in Delhi and stubble burning of crop residue in neighbouring states of Delhi.

In either case the situation calls for both, action by the government to improve the living conditions in the city and its neighbouring areas, and preventive and precautionary measure on part of the citizens.

We have already elaborated on the ineffectiveness of air purifiers when it comes to particulate matter in the air that you breathe. Sticking to out suggestion that one should rather invest in masks, we present to you a list of masks that you may want to choose from.

Common N95 Masks: The N95 masks saw a rise in demand with growing panic of swine flu and avian flu. While these masks are cheap and can cost you anywhere between Rs 80 and Rs 150 apiece, they are not the most effective of devices. They are relatively useful in dusty areas and moderate pollution but they do nothing to protect you from RM 2.5.

Dettol Air Mask: Dettol's air mask is a standard half-mask that claims to protects you from PM 2.5, bacteria, dust and even pollen. At Rs 699, this is a rather inexpensive product and both Flipkart and Amazon offer to sell it at discounted prices.

The Vogmask: The Vogmask are a bit on the expensive side. But for what it's worth, the manufacturers claims that they are much superior to the standard N95 masks. Prices start at Rs 2,000. The Vogmasks too claim to filter particulate matter, and are more fashionable (not that it is any kind of factor at all).

Cambridge Masks: These respirators claim to use military grade filtration technology to filter out nearly 100 per cent of particulate pollution, gases, as well as bacteria and viruses. These masks have three layers: to block dust, to curb PM 2.5 particulate matter and to fight bacteria. The Cambridge are just about as expensive as Vogmasks and the prices start at Rs 1,999.

Also read - A sick smog descends upon Delhi NCR and people are choking