Intro to covid-19
COVID-19 is currently a global pandemic that initially emerged in December 2019, with its epicenter being in Wuhan, China. Since then, COVID has taken the world by surprise. In merely two years, worldwide COVID cases have been enumerated to 281 million, with approximately 1 million cases daily. The exponential spread of the virus has been made possible by its droplet nature of spread. When an infected person coughs or sneezes, they can spread the disease via their respiratory droplets, which can be inhaled by others around them.
The symptoms comprise from a mild flu-like illness to complete respiratory failure. Moderate cases may require immediate hospitalization, and severe cases can even need artificial support for breathing. (1)
Methods of prevention against covid-19
To curb the transmission of the virus, many methods of prevention have been established. In this article, we will have a look at some of them. (2)
Vaccination
Vaccination is an integral aspect of the prevention of COVID-19. Vaccines work upon the principle of molecular mimicry, which means that they resemble structures of the virus that causes the disease. This mimicry allows your body to be exposed to the proteins of the virus, causing the body’s immune system to prepare antibodies against them. When the actual virus infects a vaccinated person, the immune system recognizes the antigens and ramps up a rapid immune response against them. As a result of this you are less likely to develop severe disease and consequently less likely to be hospitalized. There are numerous vaccines available worldwide, each acting on variations of this principle, each having its own efficacy, safety, and side effects.
Social distancing
When in public, practice social distancing and maintain a distance of at least 1 meter away from others, even if they appear healthy because it can take anywhere between seven to fourteen days from infection to the first appearance of symptoms. Some people may not develop symptoms of infection at all. For this reason, you should also avoid crowded spaces and stuffy or non-ventilated rooms. In crowded places, ventilation should be ensured by opening windows and allowing airflow, preventing the virus from accumulating into the surrounding air. Avoid unnecessary gatherings, especially large ones, and to ensure everyone’s safety try to ensure that the majority of the attendees are vaccinated. (3)
Hand sanitization
Hand sanitization and hygiene are imperative to prevent transmission from person to person. On sneezing or coughing, the virus can stay on your hand. When you come into physical contact with someone, for example while shaking someone’s hand, it is possible for the virus to move from the infected person’s hands to the uninfected person’s hands. When they next touch their face or eat, the virus can enter their bodies and infect them. Therefore, it is advised to regularly wash hands with soap or use a hand sanitizer for at least 20 seconds for optimal disinfection. Additionally, you should avoid touching your face while outside and when you know your hands may be dirty.
Masks
Masks serve to act as a physical barrier between your face and the environment. They prevent the passage of the virus present in the air around you from entering your body.(4)
Why use masks, and how do they work?
COVID-19 is a respiratory virus which means in order for it to cause disease, it must enter the lungs either through the nose or mouth. It does so via respiratory droplets, which are expelled into the air an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks. Masks provide a blockade between yourself and the air, which could potentially be carrying the virus. (5)
The mask acts like a sieve that aids in filtering the air that enters your lungs. It does so by means of infinite pores embedded within it due to the overlapping of fibers of the fabric. The pores help filter air which in turn traps dirt and viral particles from entering your airways through your nose or mouth.
Not only do they aid in preventing transmission of COVID, but they also assist in preventing transmission of numerous other pathogens such as the Influenza virus, which causes flu, and Mycobacterium Tuberculosis which can cause TB. Therefore by wearing a mask, not only are you protected from COVID, but it also effectively ensures safety against countless other organisms and pollutants in the air.
It is important to understand that face shields do not serve the same purpose as a face mask, which is a point of confusion for the masses. Face shields and respirators should be reserved for the use of healthcare providers that are more likely to be in contact with the virus.
Types of masks available, and how are they different from each other?
Face masks are available in numerous shapes, sizes, and colors. It is important that you find the one which suits you best. There are a number of factors to take into consideration while choosing your ideal face mask:
- It must have at least two or more layers of fabric.
- It must also fit your face perfectly without any flaps hanging from the side of your cheeks while it completely covers your nose and mouth. (6)
The struggle begins in special conditions such as cold weather, where you may feel that covering yourself with a scarf or a ski mask is effective in providing safety against the virus. However, it must be understood that they can not substitute a face mask because they do not offer the same level of safety and effectiveness as a face mask.
With different types of masks available in the market, how do you pick which one is the right one for you?
That depends on what setting you want to wear the mask in and how often you want to wear it. Broadly, we can classify the currently available masks into three categories: surgical masks, N-95 masks, and cloth masks. Each has unique properties based on the size of the pores. (7)
Cloth Masks
These are the fancy masks that are commercially available in all colors, textures, and sizes. They range from vibrant and flamboyant colors to modest designs. The size of the pores varies from 8 microns to 800+ microns based upon the type of fabric used for manufacturing them and the number of layers of fabric. Not only do they protect you from certain large respiratory droplets, but they also help you express yourself with the wide array of customizable options in the market.
Surgical Masks
These masks were originally designed to be used in healthcare settings. However, they have now become popular in the ongoing pandemic. The unique feature of these masks is that they can be easily be disposed of after a single-use. This is handy and allows for easy usage and low maintenance compared to reusable masks. The size of pore for these masks ranges from 0.1 microns to 3 microns based upon the number of layers and type of material used. They help filter respiratory droplets as well as certain germs when the wearer breathes in.
N-95 Masks
These masks are supposed to be used in special healthcare settings as a respirator. They can be used when a healthcare provider comes into contact with respiratory droplets, such as during dental procedures or during intubation. The size of the pores is around 0.3 microns. These masks have a built-in filter that allows the flow of air into the mask, which aids in filtering out particles within the air. These masks filter the air that flows into the mask when the wearer breathes in. However, it does not provide the same filtration for when they breathe out. For this reason, the use of these masks may not be allowed in certain settings as they allow the virus to spread from the wearer.
What do all these pore sizes mean?
In case you’re wondering, the pore sizes are important for figuring out what things the mask can filter out. Respiratory droplets which may contain COVID particles range up to 42 microns. Different masks (based on their pore sizes) allow a different level of safety and effectiveness in terms of their usage. In high-risk settings, it is often advised to use a combination of masks, such as wearing a surgical mask underneath a cloth mask or underneath an N-95 mask. (8)
Are masks sustainable?
With an unprecedented surge in the demand for face masks, concerns have been raised about the sustainability of their supply and use, especially because most surgical masks are supposed to be disposed of off after a single wear. With pollution and global warming on the rise, does it really make sense to be using masks all the time when moving about if they have such a serious impact on the environment?
With such questions stemming into minds, researchers have come up with biodegradable masks, that instead of having multiple single-function layers, now have a single multifunctional layer. This new discovery allows for single-use surgical masks to be a safe practice for the long term.
While researchers were busy in labs, crafters took it on themselves to DIY their take on cloth masks at home. These masks, if made correctly following standard tutorials, can help serve the same purpose as commercially available cloth masks. You can use your old shirts, napkins, sheets, etc., to make sustainable, recycled, and personalized masks from the comfort of your house. These cloth masks can be easily disinfected, washed, and reused later. (9)
Masks compared to other measures of prevention
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that you immediately vaccinate yourself and your loved ones. In addition to vaccination, it is also recommended that you use a mask in areas with a high number of COVID cases to ensure minimum transmission and maximum safety. Masks should ideally be worn indoors at all times, outdoors in crowded places, or when you come into contact with unvaccinated or partially vaccinated individuals. While traveling (both domestically and internationally), in addition to negative PCRs and vaccination, you are advised to wear a mask at all times.
How to wear and take off a mask
Instruction on wearing masks has always been circulating in the news and all around. However, many may not know the proper way to put them on and take them off due to no public campaigns on how to do so.
When putting on a new mask, ensure that your mask comes in sealed packaging and has not been worn or torn before. Ensure you sanitize or wash your hands before touching the mask. When putting it on, ensure you do not touch the surface of the mask. Rather use the loops only. Secure your mask on your face with loops around your ear. If your mask does not have ear loops, tie the strings carefully around your ears. Make sure to completely cover your nose and mouth and be certain that no gaps between your face and the mask.
When taking off your mask, stretch the ear loops or untie the strings of your mask. Do not touch the surfaces of your mask and cautiously fold it in half. Dispose of the mask immediately, preferably in a separate waste bin. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap or use a sanitizer after removing your mask and before you touch anything else.
Conclusion
COVID-19 has taken a toll on everyone’s physical health and our mental health. With skyrocketing death rates around the world, it is up to us to ensure our safety and the safety of our loved ones. For this reason, different levels of prevention must be adopted and ensured, and the use of masks is extremely integral.
In this article, we have discussed why masks are imperative and what types of masks are available. We have also had an overview of how sustainable the practice of masking on the environment is and have compared masks with other prevention measures. In the end, we had a look at what the correct technique is to wear and take off a mask.
References
- Mathieu E, Ritchie H, Ortiz-Ospina E, Roser M, Hasell J, Appel C, et al. Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19). Our World in Data [Internet]. 2020 Mar 5 [cited 2021 Dec 29];5(7):947–53. Available from: https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus
- Teslya A, Pham TM, Godijk NG, Kretzschmar ME, Bootsma MCJ, Rozhnova G. Impact of self-imposed prevention measures and short-term government-imposed social distancing on mitigating and delaying a COVID-19 epidemic: A modelling study. PLoS Medicine [Internet]. 2020 Jul 1 [cited 2021 Dec 29];17(7). Available from: https://www.healthline.com/health-news/the-simple-science-behind-why-masks-work
- Cdc. Stay at least 6 feet apart from others. 6 ft Please wear a mask.
- Your Guide to Masks | CDC [Internet]. [cited 2021 Dec 29]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings.html
- The Simple Science Behind Why Masks Work [Internet]. [cited 2021 Dec 29]. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/health-news/the-simple-science-behind-why-masks-work#Answering-the-skeptics
- How well do face masks protect against coronavirus? – Mayo Clinic [Internet]. [cited 2021 Dec 29]. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-mask/art-20485449
- Comparison of Mask Standards, Ratings, and Filtration Effectiveness – Smart Air [Internet]. [cited 2021 Dec 29]. Available from: https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/comparison-mask-standards-rating-effectiveness/
- Lee BU. Minimum Sizes of Respiratory Particles Carrying SARS-CoV-2 and the Possibility of Aerosol Generation. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health [Internet]. 2020 Oct 1 [cited 2021 Dec 29];17(19):1–8. Available from: /pmc/articles/PMC7579175/
- Babaahmadi V, Amid H, Naeimirad M, Ramakrishna S. Biodegradable and multifunctional surgical face masks: A brief review on demands during COVID-19 pandemic, recent developments, and future perspectives. Science of The Total Environment. 2021 Dec 1;798:149233.