The untold origin story of the N95 mask

The most important design object of our time was more than a century in the making.

It’s hard to think of a symbol of COVID-19 more fraught than the N95 respirator. The mask fits tightly around the face and is capable of filtering 95% of airborne particles, such as viruses, from the air, which other protective equipment (such as surgical masks) can’t do. It’s a life-saving device that is now in dangerously short supply. As such, it has come to represent the extreme challenges of the global response to COVID-19.

How did a flimsy polymer cup become the most significant health device of the 21st century? It all started in 1910 with a little-known doctor who wanted to save the world from one of the worst diseases ever known...

FULL ARTICLE HERE:

https://www.fastcompany.com/90479846/the-untold-origin-story-of-the-n95-mask?fbclid=IwAR0NoyJa6WwIjNpF4l6zyOkMblcRSxHx_Nkwh5J0kQfNQc97VwZwkLbGOYI