How to Use Face Mask to Prevent Against Coronavirus, or (COVID-19)

Types of Face Mask, When and How to wear?

The world people wear a face mask as a safety measure against Corona Virus nowadays. The different countries have instructed people to wear masks based on their ongoing situations. Some countries seem to encourage people to wear masks whenever they connect with society. And some countries don’t emphasize the need for wearing masks while some countries prescribe the need for wearing masks only for specific cases.

However, it is our responsibility to stay neutral without panicking until the authorities officially inform the people to wear masks as a safety measure. Unless wearing a mask would not make any difference.

It is very important to acknowledged the different types of masks and to what extent they can protect against the virus.

Type of Face Mask

01. Surgical Mask

The Surgical face mask is familiarly seen in hospitals commonly worn by medical officers. This mask protects the patient or the person who contacts the wearer. In other words, this mask prevents the spread of potentially infectious germs come out of the wearer’s respiratory section. Further, this mask can protect the wearer from sprays, splashes, and large-particle droplets as well.   

The specialty of surgical masks is that they are disposable; the loose-fitting feature is helpful to cover your nose, mouth, and chin.

The outer fabric of the mask is blue or green in color, and the inside layer is white. Although Surgical masks are different in types, they have the common feature of rectangular shape with pleats or folds. The top of the mask contains a metal strip that can be folded and fitted to your nose.

The wearer can hold the mask in place with the help of its elastic bands or long strings that can be looped behind the ears or tied behind the head, respectively.

However, the surgical masks will be effective more if you can dispose of it safely after use. Also, making sure to wash your hands with soap after using the surgical mask will lessen the cluster spread of the Coronavirus.

02. N95 Respirator Mask

The N95 respirator is a more tight-fitting face mask that protects the wearer from outside splashes, sprays, and large droplets. This respirator can also filter out 95 percent Trusted Source of very small particles, including viruses and bacteria.

The respirator forms a tight seal to the wearer’s face, which is generally circular or oval. Elastic bands help hold it firmly to the face. A part called exhalation valve is connected to some types of masks, which will helpful in breathing and building up the heat and humidity.

N95 respirators aren’t in free size. They actually must fit-tested before use to make sure whether it is properly sealed to the face. In order to receive the proper protection, it should be ensured that the mask is well sealed to your face.

Can face mask prevent Coronavirus?

With the rapid spread of COVID-19, people have come up with an urgent need for masks. So they have begun stitching their masks with various fabrics, which relatively can give average protection in the situation where the spread is less threatening. But these are not as safe as the surgical masks or the respirators.

• If you were healthy, you only need to wear a mask if you are contacting a person with the suspected 2019-nCoV infection. But, it is recommended that a mask should be worn in specific cases.

• Wear an appropriate mask if you are coughing, sneezing, and having breathing difficulties and seek immediate medical care.

• Masks are effective only when followed with frequent hand-cleaning with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water and other preventive measures.

• If you wear a face mask, then you should know how to use it and dispose of it properly.

• You don’t have to wear a mask if you don’t have any of the above symptoms. You need to avoid social connections and stay at home.

When and how to wear the surgical mask?

Using a face mask alone can give you a false sense of protection, which can also cause the infection unless you are not considerate about the other preventive measures such as cleaning the contaminated hands occasionally.

If you not sick, you always encouraged to stay away from the social contact while the health care workers who are in close contact with the ill individuals are highly instructed to wear protective masks as they are at a high risk of catching the virus infection.

The sick individuals should wear an appropriate mask to protect other people from small droplets come out as they cough or sneeze-the people who are healthy and who work as health care workers.

Following are the guidelines to wear the mask properly;

• Before putting on a face mask, you should clean your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.

• Inspect the mask well to make sure that it not torn and no holes. Figure out the top of the mask and the inside.

• Cover mouth and nose with mask and make sure it well sealed to your face and the mask with no gaps. The metal strip at the top can be molded to the shape of the nose until it sealed properly.

• Adjust the mask to cover the nose, mouth, and chin, making sure there are no gaps between the face and the mask.

• Don’t touch the face mask while using; if you touch it, clean your hands as soon as possible with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.

• To take off the mask, remove the elastic stripes from behind the ears or the stripes tied from behind your head. Don’t touch the front and take it away from your face.

• Discard the mask immediately in a bin with a lid; clean hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.

• Don’t re-use single-use face mask, and change the mask with a new one as soon as it is damp.

• Maintaining hand hygiene with the use of alcohol-based hand rub or with soap and water
• Practicing social distance: avoiding sick individuals
• Staying at home most of the time of the day if the community in which you live reports the infections
• Being considerate on your face, mouth, and nose: not touching them frequently with contaminated hands but only with clean hands