Latest update:20 December 2025 at 11:50 PM IST

The video, titled “N95 masks work,” quickly went viral, garnering more than 41,000 views within one day and sparking a wave of reactions online.

The video, titled “N95 Masks Work,” took social media by storm, garnering more than 41,000 views within one day. (Instagram)

Amid the worsening pollution crisis in parts of northern India, a video clip going viral on social media has sparked debate over the effectiveness of N95 masks in protecting against air pollution.

The video, shared by user Anish Bhasin on Instagram, showed a Mumbai resident conducting an experiment to prove the importance of wearing an N95 mask.

In the now-viral video, the man first showed the Air Quality Index (AQI) reading at Juhu Beach using a portable air quality monitor, which showed air quality levels between 191 and 192 – classified as ‘poor’.

He then covered the air inlet on the back of the air quality monitor with an N95 mask. Within seconds, the AQI reading dropped sharply, eventually settling at 37. When the mask was removed, the AQI index rose again, rising to 201.

The video, titled “N95 Masks Work,” took social media by storm, amassing more than 41,000 views within one day and sparking a wave of reactions online.

However, News18 has not verified the authenticity of the video or confirmed the accuracy of the experiment described in the viral video.

Internet user interaction

Internet users responded with a mixture of concern, humor and skepticism. “I wouldn’t be surprised if the Delhi government decides to cover Al-Qaeda in Iraq monitors around the city with giant N95 masks instead of spraying water,” one user joked. Another asked where to buy the Al-Qaeda in Iraq monitoring device used in the video.

Some users cited practical challenges. “The challenge is feeling comfortable in the mask. For most people, it’s claustrophobic,” one user commented. One medical professional commented, “As a respiratory medicine resident, I wish I could play this video repeatedly in my outpatient clinics. The difference between 192 and 37 is exactly what saves your lungs from long-term damage.”

Others took a more critical view, questioning systemic responses to air pollution. Another comment said: “So why should the government solve the pollution problem? They are giving new business opportunities to entrepreneurs – Al-Qaeda in Iraq monitors, N95 masks, air filters.”