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A surgical mask, also known as a medical face mask, is intended to be worn by health professionals during healthcare procedures. Surgical masks are intended to prevent infections in patients and treating personnel by catching bacteria shed in liquid droplets and aerosols from the wearer's mouth and nose. They are not designed to protect the wearer from breathing in airborne bacteria or viruses whose particles are smaller, but could be protective because viruses on droplets are filtered-out. There is a predominance of evidence that surgical masks protect both the wearer and persons near the wearer from the spreading of viruses. Surgical masks were originally designed to protect medical personnel from splashes or sprays of bodily fluids, but the effectiveness of surgical masks against influenza-like infections has not been confirmed by high-quality randomized controlled trials. Surgical masks vary by quality and levels of protection.Wikipedia