COVID-19 has necessitated changes in the manner in which we carry on with our lives. Face masks are an effective preventive measure for COVID-19 infection, but the benefits come at the cost of a ‘psycho-social’ barrier in the psychiatrist-patient relationship. Interpersonal communication has been severely affected during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our Double Clear Thin Layer N95 Mask described herein is light-transmissive, enabling non-verbal communication and facilitating identification of the wearer, while still maintaining a filter surface area of sufficient size that breath resistance and moisture accumulation do not increase. The face mask does not require a frame and can be used multiple times without requiring a filter change. The face mask may be sealed against the face of a wearer without requiring filter material to come into contact with skin. It includes an outer layer, an inner layer, and a filter. The inner layer is nestled within the outer volume of the outer layer. The inner layer has an inner front guard separated from the outer front guard by a buffer space. The inner front guard is constructed from a light-transmissive material. The inner layer also has an inner filtering surface connected to and extending posteriorly from the inner front guard. The inner filtering surface includes at least one inner air hole and a second face-adjacent edge aligned with the first face-adjacent edge to form a combined face-adjacent edge. The filter is positioned between the outer filtering surface and the inner filtering surface.

• The raised mask creates more space around the cheek and chin by increasing the space between a wearer’s face and the inner front guard. The increased space not only increases the effective filtering area but also reduces breathing resistance pressure.
• The double layer regulates a temperature difference between the inside of mask and the outside to reduce fog formation.
• Fitted and sealed better & easily: A soft curved foam or silicon gasket is attached to the edges of the inner and outer cone. Two elastic straps are attached on the outer cone for keeping the mask tight in right position. The elastic straps pull the hard cones to press the soft gasket to the soft skin. The close fitted and sealed guarantee a filter efficiency for eliminating contaminant leakage.
• Lower environment impact. it will be made from FDA approved thin plastic film (.003” -.010”) and medical grade foam; it will be easier to decontaminate. These materials can be reused many times. The total life of a clear mask will be longer than a normal mask. The designed reusable feature will meet the shortage of N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirators now and future.

New generation of mask should be reliable and completely filtered breathing air, wear comfortable, and visible for everyone in affordable price. Only a visible mask will be not an obstacle of communication in daily life as eye glass. By now our “Double Thin Clear Layer Mask” can meets the criteria.