With a number of fake news from gargling salt water to drinking tea making rounds as cure for coronavirus, here is another message that is catching the eyes of netizens and that is, If you are healthy do not wear mask, says World Health Organisation (WHO).
WHO stated, "If you are healthy, you only need to wear a mask if you are taking care of a person with suspected 2019-nCoV infection." It has given guidelines on who should wear the mask on also how should one wear it. Accordingly, it has mentioned four points including the previous one.
According to a report in Time.com, Maria Van Kherkove, lead epidemiologist in WHO said that virus is transmitted through droplets which come out of people's noses and mouths if they cough, sneeze or talk.... people who are in the communities do not need to wear medical masks unless they themselves are sick as this prevents them from infecting someone else.
Now, especially with most countries experiencing lockdown, you need not wear masks unless one suffers from coronavirus or has cough. There is a scarcity of masks for those who are really suffering and coronavirus can be checked or averted if those who are infected wear it so that it does not spread to a healthy person.
Moreover, it is also said that wearing normal masks cannot prevent small particles from entering the body as masks are not completely fit to evade these minute particles. Thus, many are also opting for surgical masks like N95, creating a scarcity for those who really need to use it.
CDC recommends N95 respirators for healthcare professionals
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), even surgical masks are not considered respiratory protection tools. Surgical masks are loose, and there are plenty of chances that particles leak in or out of the sides of the masks. CDC recommends N95 respirators for healthcare professionals who are treating patients infected by coronavirus. These masks when compared to other masks are tight fitting and filter out at least 95 percent of airborne particles.
Though these N95 masks are available for public, it is important that one wears it properly for it to be effective. If the mask is not put on properly, it will negate the preventive effects. Experts also opine that it is difficult to wear these masks for prolonged period. Thus, the CDC has recommended surgical masks for those who already show symptoms of coronavirus and must go outside.
In one of the earlier tweets, Dr Jerome Adams, the US Surgeon General, urged people to stop buying masks. "They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus, but if healthcare providers can't get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk!," he had tweeted.
