The whole world is struggling to fight against the deadliest viral attack the world has ever seen- the COVID 19. Now the people are trying to cope up with the social distancing norms and lockdown policies. As per most of the leading health agencies, the most effective ways to stay safe are maintaining proper hand hygiene and use of the facial masks.
Why and when to wear a mask?
The reports point out that the chances of viral shedding are high in the primary stages. Many people without specific symptoms of the disease may be the carriers of the same. And such carriers are the greatest leads in the spreading process. As per the studies, we can prevent such transmissions with widespread mask usage.
Whenever you are out for your regular needs, it is not practical to follow the social distancing practices at all public places. In such a place wearing a facial mask will be greatly helpful. When you feel the area is at high risk in terms of community-based transmission, you must wear the masks at any cost. Make sure that you strictly wear a mask at the following places especially when there is an alleviating lockdown condition.
- Vegetable stalls and supermarkets
- Hospitals and pharmacies
- Your workplaces
- And public transport systems
The best kind of face masks
It’s always better to prevent any disease by taking precautions. Wearing safety face masks with regular hand wash after every 4 hours will help in prevention from the early signs of COVID-19. It’s suggestible that to maintain social distancing as well with every precaution.
1. Cloth Mask
These masks are very easy to make and one can effectively do them at their homes. A small drawback of such masks is they won’t offer full protection against the tiny droplets. Such droplets may enter through the gaps near the nose and jaw portions while inhaling. The porous nature of the cloth also is a black mark. But the full cotton cloth mask made in layers will be very comfortable and assure multi-layer protection. The greatest positive side of these masks is the reusability with a proper wash.
2. Surgical Mask
If your job calls for some higher level of protection or you feel the need for upgraded safety measures, you can opt for the surgical masks. They are single-use masks offering full coverage to the nose and mouth portions. Using the breathable synthetic materials manufacturers are making such masks. The pleats in this mask offer double protection against the microbes. The surgical masks are found effective in filtering the pathogens in the range of 10-90 percentages according to the variants. These variations are due to the fit and filtering capacity differences.
3. Respirators
The utmost filtering effects of the respirators offer full safety against the mid-air spread of the virus. They are meeting up all the rigorous standards set by the national institute of occupational safety and health. Some respirators are designed with valves to ease out the inhalation. The design of major respirators is according to the coronavirus size (125 nm).
- N95– with 100 – 300 nm filter size and 95 % efficiency
- N99– with 99 % efficiency
- N100- with 99.7 % efficiency
Conclusion
The experts point out the importance of facial masks to prevent Coronavirus trasmission. As per the availability of the masks and situations you are facing, choose the best mask for you.
Rose Punja
About the Author
Loves coffee and animals. Is an extreme admirer of gardens and nature. When not bird watching, Rose prefers to blog and write about home improvements and wellness.