Get yourself a mask. As confirmed cases of COVID-19 continue to sporadically rise, international health associations recommends that everyone wears a mask when they go out in public. Experts say homemade face masks probably won’t protect you against COVID-19, but they can help prevent you from spreading the disease to others. They also recommend that social distancing should be continued in addition to wearing face masks.
Public use of face masks is common in China, Czech Republic, Senegal and other nations of the world since the beginning of the new coronavirus disease outbreak. Now, as the Nigerian Government is about to lift the lockdown on the 4th of May, it is recommended that people wear face masks in public places where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain( markets, buses, etc)
“Masks are a likely reason why the virus has been better controlled in China, South Korea, Japan, and other countries,” says Dr. Subinoy Das, the chief executive officer of the U.S. Institute for Advanced Sinus Care and Research.
Experts are recommending the use of mask when going out in public. They stressed that the masks include homemade masks and any other mask depending what each person can afford.
Masks act as physical barrier to protect you and others from viral and bacterial particulates. Cloth masks alone are unlikely to prevent you from inhaling microscopic virus particles because they are not airtight. They protect the environment from the wearer, whereas respirator N95 masks protect the wearer from the environment, experts report.
The benefit of wearing a mask can be likened to coughing or sneezing into your elbow. Wearing a mask is good for two reasons:
- It’s going to cut down 95 percent of the breathing that sends the virus up to 6 feet away in a room,
- It also reduces fecal/oral transmission by preventing the virus from getting into your nose or mouth if you touch a contaminated surface and then your face.
Experts recommend that cloth masks should be washed daily or after every extended use with detergent containing bleach or a bleach-like ingredient, dry it, and it is good to go.
HEI supports the Mask for All campaign and you can join us by posting a picture of yourself wearing a face mask. Use the hashtag #mask4all and tag HEI across all social media platforms.
