Which masks are effective against coronavirus and how can they be replaced in case of deficiency

The US government recommends that all people wear masks to stop the spread of coronavirus in the country. "Voice of America" Gathered recommendations and official information from American doctors to answer frequently asked questions regarding wearing masks.

Photo: Shutterstock

Does the mask protect against coronavirus infection?

The mask protects people around you from infection. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a significant proportion of people infected with coronavirus do not show any symptoms and do not know that they are carriers of the virus. These people can infect others without meaning to. Therefore, wearing a mask every time you leave the house is a good idea.

If you are a healthy person and are around sick people, a medical mask can reduce your chances of becoming infected. However, it does not guarantee complete protection.

"It won't protect you, but it will protect your neighbor," Dr. Daniel Griffin, an infectious disease expert at Columbia University, tells US Public Radio. “And if your neighbor wears a mask, the same thing happens, that is, he protects you from infection. Therefore, if you wear a mask correctly, it is very beneficial for people.”

The main function of a mask is to protect other people from infection. The best protective masks are N95 respirators; they are recommended to be worn by healthcare workers who are in contact with patients.

If someone sneezed at me, would my mask protect me?

Yes. If you wear the mask correctly and do not touch it with your hands after sneezing.

If you wear a mask, droplets from another person's cough or sneeze will land on the mask and not on your face. However, it is very important to remove the mask after this, but only by the strings behind the ears - without touching the mask itself.

“This is what I see all the time,” Dr. Griffin said, “people are not using masks correctly, they are touching the front of the mask, adjusting it, pulling it down under their nose.”

If you touch the front of the mask, everything that gets on it after someone's coughing or sneezing passes into your hands.

The video shows how to properly remove the mask if it is suspected that it is infected.

How to remove your #mask which may be contaminated by # Covid19 — #covidingenuity # covid19surgery https://t.co/s4XYkWr38k

- Neil Floch MD (@NeilFlochMD) March 31, 2020

Doctors also recommend wearing glasses - regular or sunglasses. They will protect your eyes from droplets from coughing or sneezing.

On social networks, doctors and nurses are actively distributing various videos where they show how to properly remove the mask and gloves.

How to properly remove gloves and mask! Listen to the doctor ??‍⚕️❤️?? pic.twitter.com/UKxlziGMBo

— G_clefBaybee☕️??? (@myusikerah) April 3, 2020

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Are home-made masks effective?

There is no consensus on homemade masks.

Homemade fabric masks will probably not protect you from COVID-19 infection, says Michael Doyle, a US Army military doctor in New York.

“The only mask that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers safe from contracting coronavirus, the only way to avoid inhaling the virus, is an N95 mask,” Captain Michael Doyle emphasized to USA Today.

The US chief surgeon presented a video on how to make a face mask yourself.

#DYK? CDC's recommendation on wearing a cloth face covering may help protect the most vulnerable from # COVID19... Watch @Surgeon_General Jerome Adams make a face covering in a few easy steps. https://t.co/bihJ3xEM15 pic.twitter.com/mE7Tf6y3MK

- CDC (@CDCgov) April 4, 2020

Meanwhile, separate studies in the US and Vietnam have shown that a homemade mask may still be effective and can block respiratory droplets from sick people. How strong this protection is is unknown.

Homemade mask? made w/ a bandana & hair ties. Looks pretty easy…incredible sign of the times. pic.twitter.com/sE6xmYVKLa

- Amaka Ubaka (@AmakaUbakaTV) April 3, 2020

How often do you need to wash a reusable mask?

“Masks, like underwear, should be washed after each use,” Dr. Griffin said.

“You can’t take the mask off, put it in your bag and then put it back on your face. If you wear it, it either stops your coughs, sneezes, or droplets during conversations, or protects you from sneezing, coughing, and droplets during other people's conversations. So it's dirty anyway. It needs to be either washed or thrown away.”

If you use a fabric mask, put it in the laundry basket after each use.

You can not put off the mask for lunch, and then put it on again. She will give you all the dirt that was on your hands, on the table and other surfaces that it came into contact with.

Is there a better mask design?

There is little information about what kind of fabric is effective for a mask and how many layers are needed for this.

Dr. Griffin recommends tightly woven cotton: "Don't use synthetics or polyester because when the ability of the virus to survive on different surfaces was studied, spandex was found to be the worst surface."

Ukrainian volunteers from the Veteranius organization also shared a mock-up of their own cuts, who sew masks for Ukrainian soldiers for the money raised.

Through the great instability, the volunteer Mariya Berlinska and her friends imposed sewing bagatorazovyh foreign masks.
Masks are economical - can be worn, worn and worn again.
And most importantly, you can “add up” masks for others - pay for those who need them.
(I.e.https://t.co/n8fCmBo719 pic.twitter.com/71zplfeaNU

- Evhen (@evhen_n) March 25, 2020

All organizations recommend using 100% cotton for masks and be sure to wash the fabric before sewing so that it does not shrink later.

This video shows how to make a mask from a T-shirt without sewing, only with the help of scissors.

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Can a scarf replace a mask?

Most likely no. Most scarves do not have a tight weave of threads, and they do not fit tightly to the face.

“Imagine protecting your face with a knitted scarf that has a lot of holes in it. It's not effective,” says Dr. Michael Klompas, an infectious disease physician.

The purpose of the mask is to create a barrier that protects your face from droplets with the virus. Therefore, the covering on the face should be of very fine weave and fit tightly to the face.

Although the US president recently said that the scarf protects better than a mask.

“It doesn’t have to be a mask, it can be a scarf,” Donald Trump said. — I think depending on the fabric, a scarf is the best. He's actually better."

Trump today recommended wearing a scarf over the face to prevent the spread of coronavirus, even though the efficacy of such a measure remains unknown.

“It doesn't have to be a mask. It can be a scarf ... I think in a certain way, a scarf is better ” https://t.co/RlOfguE044 pic.twitter.com/lxZIO6CouH

- POLITICO (@politico) April 2, 2020

Scientists do not confirm the view that a scarf is better than a mask.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in addition to masks to protect your face, you can use bandanas and a scarf, but only as a last resort.

Besides face protection, what other benefits does a mask have?

Harvard professor Joseph Allen believes that, among other things, masks have a visual preventative function.

The face masks are “a reminder that we need to stick to these measures, they remind people of that barrier. They should be treated as a badge of honor. When I wear a mask in public, it means that I am worried about your health if I become infected, that I am worried about the people around me, about strangers. That is, I want to protect others,” the professor explained.

In addition, he said, the mask gives people a sense of security.

“It gives you the feeling that you are behind the shield, and it adds confidence,” says Joseph Allen.

At the same time, doctors remind that in addition to masks, one must not forget about other mandatory precautions in order to protect themselves from infection. In particular, it is necessary to adhere to social distance, often wash hands and observe hygiene rules.

A simple step-by-step instruction on self-manufacture of a protective mask can be found here.

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