What is the UK government’s guidance on wearing face masks?
Wearing a face mask is recommended in public and in work environments, when not working from home. This is to protect you, and others. Like all respiratory viruses, Covid-19 is predominantly spread through airborne globules through coughs, sneezes and even talking. Wearing a face masks reduces your risk of inhaling these airborne globules – and from spreading the virus yourself.
Face masks form an important part of the guidance to protect yourselves and others, including regular hand washing, social distancing and more. Refer to https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus for the latest official advice.
Will these masks protect me from Covid-19?
A mask alone will not guarantee protection from infection. It does however reduce the risk of catching or spreading the virus when you have to leave your home.
The majority of transmissions are airborne, and a mask reduces the risk of inhaling the virus, or projecting it yourself when coughing, sneezing or talking.
Wearing a mask should be combined with regular hand washing and social distancing to maximise the protective benefits. Type II masks have 98% bacteria filtration.
Our Type II Face Masks FAQ
Why are you masks more expensive than other options?
Our masks are more expensive because of their protective qualities have been tested and proven, unlike cheaper alternatives. Our masks are Type II certified, meaning they filter a minimum of 98% bacteria. The filtration tests have shown the true figure to be 99.9%. Cheaper masks will either be Type I, offering only 95% filtration, or uncertified masks offering no evidence of protection. You might see masks referred to as “3-Ply” or “dust masks”, with no reference to their filtration qualities because they have not been clinically tested. At INTUS Healthcare, providing high-quality products at fair prices is essential. Despite the higher standard of our masks, we still provide them at comparable pricing. The increased protection provided by our masks costs just a few pence per mask extra.
What is the quality of your masks?
Our masks are certified to Type II surgical standard, meaning they provide filtration of at least 98% of bacteria.
They conform to standard EN 14683, which means they have been tested for bacterial filtration efficiency, differential pressure, microbial cleanliness and biocompatibility.
There are many cheap masks being sold on sites such as eBay that do not meet these standards, often sold as “dust masks”, and therefore cannot provide any assurances of protection.
In order to protect yourself and others you should opt for clinical-grade masks, which are proven to provide a barrier to airborne droplets.
What does “Type II” mean?
Surgical masks are classified by their filtration qualities. All are designed to provide a barrier to projected saliva and mucus droplets released through coughs, sneezes and even talking and breathing. CoVid-19 is primarily spread by these respiratory droplets, so providing a barrier to them being released or inhaled can significantly reduce transmission. Surgical masks have several different classes:
Type I Surgical mask – 95% bacteria filtration
Type II Surgical mask – 98% bacteria filtration
Type IIR Surgical mask – 98% bacteria filtration with splash resistance
N95 Masks – Respirator mask
Of the above, PPE guidelines for frontline NHS staff mandate either N95 or Type IIR in almost all scenarios. Buying either of these masks potentially takes supply away from the NHS – and they provide little additional benefit over Type II in public environments such as shopping, public transport etc.
Type II is the highest quality of mask available that is not suitable for NHS workers in most CoVid-19 treatment scenarios. By buying a Type II Surgical Mask from INTUS Healthcare, you are not taking away supply from frontline NHS workers.
If you are buying masks in order to protect yourself and others from the spread of disease, do not risk it by buying low-quality masks that cannot provide any evidence of protection. Our Type II masks cost just a few pence more per mask than Type I or lower, but have been clinically proven to provide a significantly higher level of protection.
Type II masks are very effective in public spaces and are therefore a good option for the general public looking to protect themselves and others. Of course, additional protection is required when treating infected patients up close, in contained environments .
There are very limited circumstances where Type II masks are required for CoVid-19 treatment by the NHS.
Type II masks are generally in good supply, and our masks are also provided to the NHS if and when required.
So please rest assured that by ordering Type II Masks from INTUS Healthcare, you are not taking away vital supplies from the NHS.
Can the mask be reused?
No. Each mask is single-use, and can be used for up to four hours or until damp. These masks cannot be cleaned or reused. They come in a pack of 50 to ensure you have a good supply whenever you need to wear one.
What are the masks made of?
Our Type-II masks have three layers of protection and are made from anti-fog foam, breathable cellulose and polypropylene, which makes them comfortable and soft. All of the materials are hypoallergenic
Are the masks hypoallergenic?
Yes.
Ordering and Delivery
How do I pay for my order?
You accept payment via credit or debit card (including American Express) via our secure checkout.
You will also have the option of using PayPal if preferred.
Can I order by telephone?
For security reasons, we only accept orders through our website. Telephone orders are far less secure. Our ordering process is quick, simple and secure. Should you have any problems ordering, please contact us below.
Do you have any discount codes?
We focus on providing great products and service at the lowest possible price, rather than discounts.
However, we have a 5% discount for orders of 20 packs or more, and 10% for 40 packs or more. These are applied automatically when ordering.
We also have a free delivery option on all UK orders.
What is the cut-off time for my order to be dispatched?
Orders placed before 4pm on a weekday are usually dispatched the same day. Orders placed after this time will be dispatched the next working day.
Please note we cannot dispatch orders over the weekend; any order placed after 4pm on Friday will therefore be dispatched the following Monday.
When will I receive my order?
We have two delivery options – free Standard Delivery, which we estimate at 3-5 days delivery time, and an Express Delivery for £3.99, which we estimate at 1-2 days delivery time.
Which delivery companies do you use?
Most orders will be by Royal Mail for the Standard Delivery option, and DPD courior for the Express Delivery option. We only use trusted, reliable partners for our deliveries as we know how important these products are for your health and wellbeing.
How do I track my order?
When you order is shipped you will receive an email including your tracking information. Simply click on the link to see the current status of your delivery.
Returns and Aftercare
Can I return my order?
We can only accept returns if the package is unopened and undamaged. For obvious hygiene reasons, we cannot accept returns of opened packs unless faulty under warranty. You can find our full returns policy which explains this in more detail here.
How do I return my order?
When your order was dispatched you received a link to your tracking information. This same link is used for returns. Please click on it to request your return.
My order hasn’t arrived, where is it?
Please use the tracking link we provided in an email to get the latest information on the progress of your delivery.Due to CoVid-19, some delivery companies are experiencing some delays. While the vast majority of orders are arriving on time, some may be a day or two late, for which we apologise for and thank you for your patience and understanding. However, if the package is three or more days late, please let us know and we will investigate promptly and if needs be, issue a replacemen
I have received a faulty product – what can I do?
Please email us with your order number details of the fault, and if possible a photograph. We will look to issue a replacement as quickly as we can for you.
I have received the wrong product or quantity – what can I do?
Please email us with your order number and we will investigate and put this right for you as quickly as we can.
INTUS Healthcare FAQ
Who are INTUS Healthcare?
INTUS Healthcare are a long-established online healthcare provider, focused on respiratory and sleep products.
For over a decade, INTUS Healthcare have provided high-quality respiratory masks, breathing devices and equipment to around 200 NHS hospitals and directly to hundreds of thousands of patients.
You may have seen CPAP machines in the news recently due their use in treating CoVid-19; INTUS Healthcare provided record numbers of CPAP machines to the NHS and private patients through their CPAP.co.uk website during the peak of the coronavirus epidemic and received coverage in the national press.
Their pioneering in-home sleep apnoea testing service, offered through SleepTest.co.uk, also relieves the burden on the NHS that this sleep disorder causes. Thousands of people concerned about their heavy snoring and excessive daytime sleepiness have received answers, support and treatment from INTUS Healthcare.
INTUS Healthcare also provide a direct-dispatch service for Papworth Hospital, one of the biggest NHS sleep clinics in the UK.
INTUS Healthcare are owned by Baywater Healthcare, who provide home oxygen, sleep and respiratory services to around 5,000 patients on behalf of the NHS. Both companies are part of the Bastide Group, one of France’s largest healthcare providers.
Why should I trust INTUS Healthcare with my health?
At INTUS Healthcare, our commitment to patient care is second to none.
As a result, we have an average score of 5* on TrustPilot, Reviews.io and Google for our established websites – with nearly 2,000 reviews from our customers between them. We are very proud to provide a level of service that so many of our customers believe is exceptional.
IntusHealthcare.co.uk is a new website focused on our Type II Face Masks, so feedback on this site specifically currently is limited – but you should expect the same commitment to quality products, excellent service and fair pricing. We certainly do!
We understand the concerns of our customers and all of our processes and policies are designed around them. We know when ordering from us you are not just buying a product – you are buying peace of mind and better health, and our care goes beyond simply putting an order in the post.
We are here to answer any questions or concerns you have – so please do get in touch below should there be anything else you need to know.
Need more information? Contact us below.
If you need to contact us by phone please call 03301248360
