With an increasing number of deaths and patients being affected by Corona Virus, people are more cautious than ever and have been taking notice of their hygiene habits.
People have been seen wearing surgical masks in public places and transport as this is expected to prevent them from catching the infection.
While taking necessary precautions is understandable, misinformation about the extent to which this protection can help is disturbing the availability of surgical masks. Doctors had to finally speak up and tell people that surgical masks aren’t as helpful as they think.
People have been hoarding surgical masks and this has resulted in a shortage which has become a problem for doctors as they are finding it difficult to attend to infected patients. Also, touching these masks with hands without washing them thoroughly defeats the entire purpose of wearing it. These masks are also fit for one-time use only.
COVID-19 can easily enter through the surgical masks if you happen to be around the infected person ( depends on proximity as well). If you still feel safer wearing a mask, invest your money in N95 respirator as fits better, is thicker and filters much finer particles. This mask should also be disposed off after use.
Public places are being avoided by people in light of the Corona Virus. There are other ways to keep yourself protected as masks aren’t really your best bet.
Here are some ways to keep yourself protected:
- Wash your hands frequently
- Take care of your hygiene
- Cover your mouth while sneezing and coughing
- Stay at home if you have slight fever, cold or cough
- Use rubbing alcohol and sanitizer to keep your hands clean
- Use wipes to clean surfaces like the armrest, windows, phone screen, etc
