The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in nearly 10 million cases and almost half a million deaths.
While infection rates are dropping in most countries, it is still critical to protect yourself and others.
This will help “flatten the curve” and ensure that the world can move forward out of the coronavirus pandemic.
There are a number of ways you can protect yourself. We will go over whether medical face masks and visors are effective against getting infected with COVID-19.
Medical Face Masks
When organizations like the World Health Organization and Center for Disease Control provide their guidance for keeping safe during the coronavirus pandemic, they promote the use of medical face masks.
These light blue and purple face masks are also known as type IIR face masks and surgical face masks. They have become highly popular due to their affordability and effectiveness in avoiding the spread of infection.
Medical face masks are loose-fitting and disposable. They protect your nose and mouse from projecting droplets of potentially-dangerous pathogens onto others.
Photo by Ani Kolleshi from Unsplash
These face masks have the ability to filter larger particles in the air, protecting the wearer. This type of mask may also help others by reducing their exposure to the excretions of the person wearing the mask.
Since the coronavirus is mainly transmitted through droplets coming from someone’s mouth or nose, some studies have found that medical face masks protect people five times more than if there was no face mask worn.
When someone wears a face mask, they are reducing the chance of COVID-19 or any infectious disease from being passed on.
If you happen to be exhibiting coronavirus-related symptoms, you can wear a type IIR face mask to protect others. These masks are ideal for both individuals with COVID-19 and those caring for them.
Face Visors
Another method of protecting you and others is by wearing a face visor. Also called a face shield, these transparent plastic shields protect the entire face from incoming or outgoing droplets that may potentially harbor dangerous pathogens like COVID-19.
A face visor, or shield, can be especially beneficial to those who have close contact with other people on a regular basis.
However, it may not be very effective in protecting others from the wearer if they have the virus. This is why a combination of wearing the face visor and a medical face mask is ideal. This will ensure you are fully protected and are protecting others as well.
Some studies have suggested that face visors offer better protection than cloth coverings made at home. This is because they feature an impermeable barrier that will immediately block any incoming droplets potentially containing infectious diseases.
People working in retail environments, as well as those with high foot traffic, will benefit from wearing face shields.
Given that these face visors protect the wearer’s eyes, are simple to put on, easy to wash, and prevent them from touching their face, they provide a layer of protection during the coronavirus pandemic.
They are also an effective and safe alternative for those who have difficulty breathing when wearing a face mask.
When it comes to a face visor UK is one of the countries that has seen a dramatic rise in their use. As the weather becomes warmer, it becomes more uncomfortable to wear face masks when outdoors for long periods. This makes face shields an appealing alternative.
Using Face Masks
COVID-19 is a highly infectious pathogen that causes serious and sometimes fatal pneumonia, as well as respiratory illness, and has infected almost 10 million people globally.
Several preventative measures have been instructed by organizations such as the CDC and WHO, to halt the spread of the virus. These include the use of face masks and visors.
Using a medical face mask comes as a strong recommendation, especially for people who have been infected with COVID-19, as well as those who are at a high risk of being exposed to the virus.
This is because these face masks provide a satisfactory level of protection from droplets coming from coughs and sneezes of someone who is infected.
It is recommended that you should wear a medical face mask if you are:
- Infected with COVID-19
- Caring for someone infected with COVID-19
- Someone working within the healthcare industry
- Someone who comes into contact with infected or potentially infected individuals
Ideally, medical face masks should be disposed of after each interaction with someone who is potentially infected. However, this can be impractical, so it is also advised to ensure, as best as you can, the surgical mask you use is only used once, such as when going shopping.
Using Face Visors
Face visors are usually worn by healthcare providers, such as nurses. Anyone who is in close contact with people who may be carrying the COVID-19 virus will find it beneficial to wear a face shield.
While the average person does not necessarily need to wear a face visor, those who are frequent high-traffic areas where people may be infected will have greater peace of mind.
Plastic face visors have been found to be more effective in blocking the spread of droplets potentially containing COVID-19 than cloth face coverings.
However, you will have easier access to your face with your hands, so you need to be aware of whether you are touching your face while wearing a face shield.
Besides not being a strong deterrent to touching your face, it will be effective in blocking most instances of the virus. As far as use goes for a face visor UK, the European Union, and Southeast Asia have become comfortable with wearing them on a large scale.
Wrapping Up
Both medical masks and face visors are effective in protecting against COVID-19 and other airborne pathogens.
To receive the highest protection, you should ideally use both together. This is because where one fails to protect you fully, the other one will.
Do your part in flattening the curve and helping the world get past this challenging moment in history by wearing protecting gear like face masks and visors.
About The Author:
Manoj Parmar has been working in the manufacturing and importing of medical and healthcare supplies for over 15 years. He currently works at Glove Club Ltd which was established in 1994 and a leading manufacturer and supplier of medical consumables with products including disposable gloves, masks, dental and paper products. Bringing his wealth of experience he has recently started Supreme Wellbeing, supplying a range of vitamins and supplements. You can find him on Linkedin or Twitter @p4rma
