To begin with, there are 2 main varieties of medical-grade masks: surgical masks and respirators.
If you’re wondering if you should wear a face mask to protect yourself – should you have access when supplies are extremely scarce – some tips about what to take into account:
Masks should be worn by those with the illness or those in close connection with those infected.
The first wave of the virus throughout the state has infected more than 24,000 and led to about 1,800 deaths. It put stress on health care facilities and workers and precipitated stringent social distancing measures geared towards hindering the sickness. And it has prompted Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont to require everyone in public areas to wear some type of face-covering when keeping a secure distance of 6 feet apart isn’t feasible.
For the study, researchers determined the percent particle removal for 10 homemade, fabric masks “of different designs, with and without filter layers, as well as three commercially-produced surgical-type masks.” They noted that “N95 masks were used to validate the technique, as well as a 3M model 1826 surgical mask was applied to be a baseline to compare and contrast of other masks on this style.”
Every American should wear a nose and mouth mask to defeat Covid-19
If you’re wondering if you should wear a face mask to shield yourself – assuming you have access when supplies are extremely scarce – this is what to take into consideration:
The consistent messaging from authorities in Asia is a stark contrast with American officials that have fed confusion and distrust. On February 29th, Dr. Jerome Adams, the U.S. Surgeon General, tweeted, “Seriously people- STOP BUYING MASKS! They are NOT effective in preventing an average person from catching #Coronavirus, in case healthcare providers can’t get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities vulnerable!”
Some masks are still available online, but it can be tough to learn how safe they are and prices are often high.
The current shortage of surgical masks for health care workers in shaping the government’s thinking on whether to start recommending them to the population.