Sanitize, sanitize & sanitize but do not forget the masks!

 It will almost be a year now, that coronavirus raised its ugly head in India and there was nationwide lockdown declared to contain the spread of the virus. And till today, we are still fighting to keep it at bay. Vaccinations have rolled out and there are many big vaccination campaigns undertaken by the government to stop the spread of this deadly virus. However, coronavirus-free life is still a distant dream. And this new normal way of living will continue for some time more. Thankfully, vaccination drives are on full swing, but still, it is going to be a time-consuming process considering the population of India. Thus, all the precautionary measures are still to be continued which includes washing hands with soap and water whenever available or using sanitizers along with maintaining social distancing and using masks when you are with someone who is not from your family.

With the recent surge in the coronavirus cases, these precautionary measures still hold a lot of importance and everyone should strictly abide by it until a further notice from the government is received. However, there has been a lot of confusion over which mask to be used and which mask has what characteristics. First of all, let us understand that masks are not for self but for people around you as it stops you from adding to the germ pool. On today offer, there are a lot of options available as far as masks are concerned. So, let us try and understand the types of masks and its characteristics –

1.     Basic Cloth Masks –

Basic cloth masks are readily available on online shopping offers today or one can even make it at home. It is recommended that these cloth masks should be made up of cotton and stitched into multiple layers because of the comfort and the breathability that it provides. The only care that should be taken is that these masks should fit in snugly fit in thus preventing and leaks or gaps. This type of mask is good to use for the public in day to day lives in attempt to control the spread of coronavirus pandemic. The best part of these masks is that they are washable and hence are good for pockets as well as for the environment. Even thick handkerchief or cloth folded in multiple layers are good to use. The only care that needs to be taken is they should be cleaned after every use and should be dried in sun. These are preferably good to reuse only after 72 hours.

 

2.     Surgical Masks –

Surgical masks are disposable masks which cannot be reused. In case you wash them and dry them under the sunlight then there is possibility that the mask material may lose its quality. There are claim that these masks are good only for few hours and then they need to be replaced. These masks are made of thin material and hence are breathable enough and these are easily available on today offers. Generally, the front-line worker or medical professionals make use of these masks. These masks are good to prevent large particles as they are filtered out and the droplets of wearer caused by coughing or sneezing can be blocked by these masks.

 

3.     FFP2/N95/KN95 Masks –

FFP2/N95/KN95 are equivalent to each other as per the international standards. As the name itself suggests, these masks are good and filter almost 95 percent of large and small particles and liquids that may come in contact with the mask. Hence these masks provide much better protection compared to basic cloth masks and surgical masks. However, until recently general public was recommended to avoid using these masks as they need to be readily available for the healthcare workers. These masks can be used one time, but efforts are on to see if these can be cleaned and used again.

However, these days due to ongoing surge in cases of coronavirus, many countries especially in Europe have made it compulsory to wear the FFP2 masks to ensure extra prevention of spread of virus.

 

4.     Face Shields -

Face shields are like fully covering helmets. Any ideal face shield should cover the face fully till the chin. These are made up of a flimsier film which cover your eyes, nose, and mouth. Due to this, the wearer can hardly touch them when wearing the face shield. These are particularly good in medical set up where medical professional can use them as they are generally in high risk zone.

 

The most important thing to keep in mind when using these masks is one should not touch these masks when in use. Additionally, these masks should snugly fit in. And in case the mask turns wet or damp, it should be replaced with a new clean mask. Wearing masks can save lives. It is way of fighting this deadly virus which is still very much a part of our lives.