How can we save lives by following simple advice ?
Other than washing your hands, there is a lot we can do to prevent us being involved in the virus contagion.
Let me first remind you the obvious ones (yes, once again because it can save lives):
- Stay at home and limit all unnecessary gatherings
- Wash your hands frequently during 40–60 seconds (sing “Happy birthday” twice)
- Maintain physical distancing: 2 metres (1–1.5 meter is not enough)
- Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth
- Practice respiratory hygiene (cover mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing)
- If you have a fever, cough or respiratory difficulties, seek medical care early
- Clean and disinfect surfaces you often touch on a daily basis.
- Avoid eating raw or undercooked food
Mask utility
Mask has become the new gold during this sanitary crisis. However, please do not rush to the pharmacy and buy the whole stock of masks. It is definitely not the right strategy.
Let me first explain its utility. Mask is used to protect the others from catching part of your droplets but also to protect the person wearing it from catching part of droplets emitted from others. According to this, the ideal situation would be for everyone to wear a mask to minimize any droplet contact. However, it is unnecessary to fall in this extreme if confirmed cases and symptomatic people wear it, especially in crowded public areas.
Following WHO recommendation, those who are concerned with use of mask are:
- Medical staffs since they are exposed to people with suspected 2019-nCoV infection
- People who are coughing or sneezing
Mask types
To build on that, there are different types of “face mask” and their effectiveness is different:
- Surgical masks are meant to help block large-particle droplets that may contain germs (viruses and bacteria), keeping it from reaching your mouth and nose and may also help reduce exposure of your saliva and respiratory secretions to others. But, they do not filter or block very small particles in the air and do not provide complete protection from germs and other contaminants because of the loose fit between the surface of the face mask and your face. (from US FDA)
- FFP1/ FFP2/ FFP3 (EU requirement), KN 95 (China) or N95 (US) Respirators are meant to achieve a very close facial fit and very efficient filtration of airborne particles. The designation means that when subjected to careful testing, the respirator blocks at least X percent of very small (0.3 micron) test particles. (from US FDA)
Note: A recent paper shows that the coronavirus ranges from between 0.06 and 0.14 microns in size.
Correct usage of mask
The above effects are effective if and only if the mask is worn properly. This is translated into different steps (from WHO):
- Before putting on a mask, clean hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water
- Cover mouth and nose with mask (this is very important, unfortunately, I still witness some medical staffs not putting the mask on their nose) and make sure there are no gaps between your face and the mask (put the metal strip on the nose bridge and press it so that it follows the shape of your nose)
- Avoid touching the mask while using it; if you do, clean your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water
- Replace the mask with a new one as soon as it is damp and do not re-use single-use masks
- To remove the mask: remove it from behind (do not touch the front of mask); discard immediately in a closed bin; clean hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water
Conclusion
Mask is a tool, among others, to maximize the chances of not spreading the virus. Those who should wear it properly are medical staffs and people who cough and sneeze (probably everyone). By doing so, you are protecting a whole community.
“Stay Home to Save Lives” — from Anybody
The content of this article is being sourced from different organizational official websites (WHO, US FDA…). If anything is not clear, please refer or crosscheck with other sources. Feel free to comment!
