My solution to the face mask is as neck device made out of the polypropylene material. The idea is that whenever the wearer is in close proximity to a crowd of people or an infected person they could pull the material over their face or pull there head down into the material. It could also be worn by an infected individual and when they are going to cough or sneeze they could do it into the fabric rather than into the air. I have begun exploring how this neck device could become fashionable. Come to find out, the neck warmer has become somewhat of a fashion statement in colder climates. This design could be used for the smallpox prevention device in order to make it less noticeable and more fashionable than the common face mask.

Smallpox

Transmission of smallpox occurs through inhalation of airborne variola virus, usually droplets expressed from the oral, nasal, or pharyngeal mucosa of an infected person. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smallpox

The symptoms of smallpox begin with high fever, head and body aches, and sometimes vomiting. A rash follows that spreads and progresses to raised bumps and pus-filled blisters that crust, scab, and fall off after about three weeks, leaving a pitted scar. http://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/faq/smallpox_disease.asp

“Protect yourself. Cover your mouth and nose with layers of fabric that can filter the air but still allow breathing. Examples include two to three layers of cotton such as a t-shirt, handkerchief or towel. Otherwise, several layers of tissue or paper towels may help.”

http://www.co.grant.wa.us/EM/HTM/Hazard_Terrorism.htm

Material

Nonwoven fabrics are engineered fabrics that may be a limited life, single-use fabric or a very durable fabric. Nonwoven fabrics provide specific functions such as absorbency, liquid repellency, resilience, stretch, softness, strength, flame retardancy, washability, cushioning, filtering, bacterial barrier and sterility. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonwoven_Fabric

Nonwoven polypropylene is a practical fabric because it is strong and extremely lightweight, so it is convenient to carry as well as inexpensive to ship. The fabric is also comfortable and soft. Nonwoven polypropylene bags promote a greener earth because they are reusable, easy to clean, recyclable, and sometimes made with recycled products. http://www.qualitylogoproducts.com/lib/what-is-nonwoven-polypropylene.htm

Attaching Strategy

The fit should assure that there is no tenting at the sides of the mouth that would allow dispersion or entry of microbes. A small pliable strip at the nose area should promote a close fit. Fluid resistance is defined as the ability of a facemask's material construction to minimize fluids from traveling through the material and potentially coming into contact with the user of the facemask. http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/articles/331feat2.html