This mask is labelled as a Type 2 disposable medical face mask. Its main performance marker is bacterial filtration efficiency (BFE) of at least 98%. In the standard test used for medical face masks in Europe, the material is exposed to droplets containing bacteria, and the result shows what proportion of those droplets is caught. A BFE of 98% or more means the mask is designed to stop a high proportion of bacteria-carrying droplets, which is what makes it useful as a barrier in everyday close-contact settings.
The 3-layer construction is the physical basis of this filtering. When you speak, cough, or sneeze while wearing the mask, the material helps catch droplets released from your nose and mouth. At the same time, the mask is not a respirator. It is non-sterile and single-use, and it is not intended for high-risk aerosol exposure. For situations involving fine airborne particles, an FFP2 or FFP3 respirator may be more appropriate.
In real life, the filtration value only matters if the mask sits close to your face. The mask comes in a flat rectangular shape with elastic ear loops and an adjustable nose clip. Press the clip around the bridge of your nose, pull the lower edge under your chin, and check for gaps at the sides. If air easily escapes at the edges, it can bypass the filter layer, so the practical filtration will be lower than the laboratory BFE figure.