The Correct Mask to Prevent Coronavirus Infection
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One way to prevent contracting a novel coronavirus infection is to use a mask. But what kind of mask should you wear? Is it the usual type of surgical mask or mask type N95 that works to prevent particles?
As of January 24, 2021, the virus that can cause pneumonia has claimed 26 lives with more than 800 people infected in China. A number of appeals have been made by the Indonesian government so that the public is alert, one of which is wearing a mask.
The following is a review of the correct mask to prevent coronavirus infection.
Use of masks to prevent infection coronavirus
Masks are a means of personal protection that can prevent the body from exposure to air pollution and dust. The use of masks has also become a primary prevention effort from various risks of disease that are spread through particles in the air.
The effectiveness of masks to protect against the risk of spreading the virus was also proven in a study published in the International Journal of Infectious Disease. The study found that using the correct mask can reduce the risk of being diagnosed with a flu-like illness by as much as 80% lower.
If you reflect on the case of the outbreak of the Novel coronavirus, in fact experts do not know exactly how the virus is transmitted. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in America advise medical personnel to treat it like a pathogen that can spread through airborne particles. Therefore, the use of masks for protection from Novel coronavirus was done.
As a result, the community also uses masks every time they travel as an effort to reduce the risk of being infected with the Novel coronavirus. There are two types of masks that have been chosen, namely surgical masks and N95 masks.
Surgical mask or face mask is a type of disposable mask that is often used by medical personnel when treating patients. Surgical mask easy to find and affordable price so more people are using this mask for daily use.
This type of mask will help protect you by preventing exposure to large particles in the air that may contain viruses. In addition, this mask also prevents you from splashing other people’s body fluids that are released when sneezing or coughing.
Meanwhile, N95 is a type of mask made to block large and small particles in the air that contain viruses. The name N95 comes from its ability to filter 95% of the particles in the air.
Not only for disease prevention, N95 masks are also often used by workers when dealing in areas full of exposure to hazardous substances. This makes the N95 mask often seen as extra protection.
Has the N95 mask been proven to be more effective in preventing? coronavirus?
Although masks have been suggested as a preventive measure coronavirus, experts have different opinions about which type of mask should be used.
Judging from how it works, the N95 type mask may be recommended for prevention coronavirus. The N95 mask is specially designed and tighter by adjusting the size around the nose and mouth.
The advantage of the N95 mask that surgical masks do not have is its filtration ability which can filter out small particles.
However, the use of N95 masks is as a precaution coronavirus not recommended for daily use. The N95 mask type is more difficult to use and will make breathing space more limited.
N95 masks are usually only recommended for healthcare workers treating patients with coronavirus, that too must really know how to use it. N95 mask users will also have to go through fit test to ensure that the correct mask is used.
Supporting this statement, Leo Yee Sin, executive director of the National Center for Infectious Diseases in Singapore, told The Straits Times that when you wear an N95 mask and can still breathe easy, it means you are not using it properly.
N95 masks have not been recommended to the public
There is no recommendation for the use of an N95 type mask as a prevention Novel coronavirus for the public, especially in Indonesia, which so far has not confirmed the existence of the outbreak. The urgency to use this mask only increases in certain situations such as smog pollution.
Indeed, when compared to the N95, surgical masks will not provide perfect protection. The surgical mask will only protect you from visible liquid splashes. This mask still feels loose on the face, especially at the four edges. It is possible that air particles will still enter without being filtered into the nose.
However, surgical masks still have the ability to prevent you from the risk of various diseases that might keep you from risk Novel coronavirus.
This was also proven in a study, where family members who wore surgical masks while caring for sick children at home had a lower risk of contracting the disease.
Other types of masks are also widely used to prevent coronavirus is a cloth mask that can be used repeatedly. Unfortunately, this mask is also not recommended because if it is not washed frequently, the increased humidity of the mask will become a breeding ground for pathogens.
For that reason, surgical masks are still a recommendation if the goal is to prevent infection coronavirus. To be more effective, you can replace the mask with a new one every few hours or when the mask feels damp.
How to use the correct mask
The way you put on and take off the mask can also have an effect on how the mask works to protect it from harm coronavirus.
We recommend that you wash your hands first before wearing a mask. If the mask you use has a different color on both sides, the white side is the part that touches the skin. Whereas green or blue is the outside.
In a rubber mask, you can simply hook the rubber strap behind your ear. For strap masks, first place the wire part of the mask on the nose with your fingers. Tie the two ropes on the top side. After hanging down, pull the mask over your chin and tie the underside of the rope at the nape of your neck.
When you want to remove it, pull the rope hanging from the ear from behind to remove the mask. If you touch the front of the mask before removing it, you will actually transfer the contaminants to your hands.
Other things that must be done to prevent COVID-19 are wearing a mask
Regardless of the type of mask you use, depending on just one type of prevention will not provide maximum protection results. Here are a variety of measures apart from wearing a mask that will keep you from becoming infected Novel coronavirus:
- Take supplements or multivitamins twice a day or as directed.
- Wash your hands with soap and water several times a day, also making sure to clean the area between your fingers. If not available, use a hand sanitizer with an alcohol content of at least 60 percent.
- Avoid touching the face, especially in the eye, nose and mouth area.
- Live a healthy diet by eating foods that contain antioxidants to protect the body from viruses and bacteria.
- Enough rest. Good sleep hours will increase the body’s immunity to be more immune to infection and disease.
Despite the risk of transmission Novel coronavirus in Indonesia it is still low, it is also a good idea for you not to be careless about always maintaining your health. There are still many other diseases that can stalk you such as flu and cough, especially since Indonesia has also entered the rainy season. If necessary, inject influenza vaccine.
Read all articles about coronavirus (COVID-19) here.
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