Review – Gifted¦ I was so pleased when lockdown was finally put in place in the UK earlier this week. It was much needed to protect our NHS and the most vulnerable in our society. I hope everyone reading this is safe and well and, of course, following the rules. That isn’t to say that it isn’t without its challenges. I’m worried enough about the next time my husband goes shopping, let alone those amongst my friends and family who work in schools, retail, distribution and care work. Whichever bracket you fall into, hopefully this review will help you. Over the last couple of days, we’ve been trying out Virustatic Shield face masks to help protect us from coronavirus (COVID-19).
Wearability
These new masks have only gone on sale this week and are now available to the general public. After 10 years of research, the team behind it have been working hard to bring it to full production due to the global pandemic of COVID-19. As you can imagine, demand for Virustatic Shield masks is already incredibly high. A collaboration between world-leading scientists at Manchester University and around the UK, it goes on as a snood and covers your nose, mouth and ears, moulding to your face. It is easily adjustable and its thin, breathable material is comfortable to wear for long durations. It also means it’s suitable for those with severe respiratory issues.
Effectiveness
The fabric of the Virustatic Shield has a revolutionary protein coating, which mimics your body’s immune system to trap and disable viruses. It acts as a barrier, attracting, trapping and killing viruses in microscopic airborne particles 15 times smaller than a human hair.
Tests have shown it to be effective against coronavirus, flu, SARS, MERS, the common cold and more. Its inventor, Paul Hope, says that research shows that material treated with Virustatic coating offers “96% protection against airborne viruses”. That’s an impressive statistic!
Practicality
The World Health Organisation (WHO) advise that healthy people only need to wear protective masks when they’re taking care of someone with suspected 2019-nCoV or if coughing and sneezing. Of course, it also goes without saying that you still need to practice good hygiene, washing and/or sanitising your hands regularly for 20 seconds and using the correct technique. The Virustatic Shield works from both sides, so it is particularly useful for people who believe they have coronavirus and want to prevent themselves from passing it on to those they’re in contact with.
Our Experience
I certainly felt much more confident going out for our daily exercise wearing one of these face masks. The material is very soft and comfortable. I am very impressed by the science behind the Virustatic coating and how it has been executed in the form of these snood face masks. Hopefully these will help to protect some of the most vulnerable in our communities!
My husband was concerned that his snood wouldn’t fit over his head as it’s quite large. However, it was actually fine. I easily adjusted mine and my 3 year old daughter’s to our smaller heads using hair bands and hair clips. She wasn’t too keen on having her photo taken (or wearing her mask, if I’m completely honest!)
More Information
Virustatic Shield is available to buy directly from their website, virustaticshield.com (RRP £20).
Upon arrival, each product has an anti-fake security label on the packaging. The authenticity of your product can be confirmed with its heat activated ink, invisible UV features and an encrypted QR code which is linked to a unique serial number.
You can wash your mask as frequently as you’d like to. However, the coating has been tested and found to be fully effective for at least 3 washes. It’s also important to note that high heat, washing machines, irons and detergent are not the coating’s friends. As such, make sure you hand wash in warm water only! Virustatic Shield recommend washing after no more than 50 hours of wear (but obviously sooner if the fabric gets dirty).
Disclosure: We were provided with masks for our family for the purpose of this review. As always, all views and opinions are honest and my own.
These look amazing – I’m going to share with a friend who has been looking for one.