The coronavirus pandemic has taken a million lives in its grasp and wreaked havoc globally. Experts suggest numerous ways in which you can protect yourself from getting infected by COVID-19. Using face masks effectively diminishes the transmission of coronavirus, saving you and your family as well.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that if you wear a face mask while you are in public, the spread of COVID-19 automatically comes down. That’s because pre-symptomatic people can infect you with the virus before exhibiting any symptoms. Some masks can protect you in a better way than others. Here are the face masks you should choose to protect yourself from coronavirus.
Surgical Masks
Surgical masks or medical masks are comfortable and easy to dispose of after use. These masks cover your mouth and nose and don’t allow the germ-carrying droplets to come into direct contact. Your mouth and nose are also safe from any splash or spray.
Aside from that, surgical masks can filter out large air particles and ensure that the mask-wearer droplets don’t spread. You should not use a medical mask multiple times. You have to use it only once.
N95 Masks
If you want better protection from COVID-19 transmission, N95 masks are a suitable choice. These masks can filter out small and large particles at the time of breathing. It’s called an N95 as they prevent 95% of the droplets from spreading.
These masks are especially for healthcare workers and not the general public. N95 masks are not appropriate for people who have facial hair and even children. People working in the healthcare department have gone through tests to check out whether these masks would be suitable for them or not. Just like medical masks, you should use the N95 masks too only once. In case you are using an N95 mask, you must do a seal check every time you are putting it on.
Fabric Masks
Fabric masks or cloth masks help to trap the droplets when someone talks, coughs, or sneezes. They prevent the virus from spreading. These masks are quite easy to make and quite easy on the pockets too. You can wash them and wear them again. In case you touch your fabric mask. You must wash your hands properly or sanitize them. If the mask becomes dirty, you must replace it with a new one.
Never share these masks with anyone else. You can wear homemade cloth masks, especially when you are in an area that has community transmission. Refrain from putting on these masks on kids aged below 2. Aside from that, people who face difficulties in breathing cannot remove the mask with their own hands. As per the experts, you should wear the cloth masks when you are wearing a face shield above it.
Face Masks That Have Valves
Face masks with valves make breathing out convenient for you. However, at the same time, you will breathe out more germs into the air around you. If you go by the recent developments, most countries are imposing a ban on masks with valves. These masks are good for the wearer.
But, the main concern here is the one-way exhaustion valve. You don’t get the protection you need. If the user is a carrier of the contagious virus, they would eventually contaminate the people around them. That can be deadly. People are wearing a mask is to protect themselves as well as others. So, opting for a simpler mask is a good idea.
COVID-19 transmission from one person to another happens through respiratory droplets. These droplets spread when someone contaminated with the virus talks, coughs, sneezes, or exhales. If you breathe in these droplets, you are likely to catch an infection too. In addition to wearing face masks, you can also follow simple yet effective steps such as cleaning your hands with soap or a sanitizer with good alcohol content.
Besides that, it is also important to ensure you maintain ample social distance, avoid going out, and stay healthy. Make it a point to follow the updates and suggestions from your local health authorities and the World Health Organization to ensure you are safe from the virus. Stay safe. Stay healthy! And let’s do our bit to break the chain!