Explainer: Who should wear a face mask, and do they stop the coronavirus?

LONDON (ITNTV) - Many people across Asia wear face masks to try and protect themselves against COVID**19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. In Europe and the United States, masks are less commonly worn, but many people are asking: Should they wear them during the pandemic?

FILE PHOTO: Crowds wearing protective masks, following an outbreak of the coronavirus, are seen at the Shinagawa station in Tokyo, Japan, March 2, 2020. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha

** The World Health Organization’s advice is that if you are healthy, you only need to wear a mask if:

** you are caring for someone with suspected or confirmed COVID**19 infection

** you are coughing or sneezing yourself, or suspect you might have COVID**19.

** Masks work by capturing droplets that are dispersed in coughs, sneezes and breath ** these are the main transmission route of the new coronavirus.

** There are two main types of mask: surgical masks, which are strips of fabric worn across the nose and mouth and closer**fitting ones sometimes called respirators.

** Close**fitting masks ** such as N95 ones ** can offer good, but not total protection against infectious droplets, while the next rank up ** the N99**rated masks ** can give better protection, but some find them difficult to breathe through.

** The “N” rating relates to the percentage of particles of at least 0.3 microns in diameter that the mask is designed to block: N95 masks stop 95% and N99 masks stop 99%.

** Some masks have a valve in the front to help prevent moisture in exhaled breath condensing on the inside, making the mask wet and more liable to virus penetration.

** Masks are only effective if you combine wearing them with frequent handwashing and ensure you don’t touch your face.

** Anyone using a mask should make sure their hands are thoroughly cleaned with soap and water or an alcohol**based hand sanitizer before putting it on.

** The mask should cover your mouth and nose, and there should be no gaps between your face and the mask.

** As much as possible, avoid touching the mask.

** When the mask becomes damp, replace it with a new one. Do not re**use single**use masks.

“Wearing a mask can also reduce the propensity for people to touch their faces, which happens many more times a day than we all realise and is a major source of infection without proper hand hygiene,” said Stephen Griffin, an associate professor at Leeds University’s Institute of Medical Research.

Comments

European Union will close its borders to all non-essential travel to fight coronavirus

Madrid (ITNTV) The European Union will close its borders to all non-essential travel as it attempts to contain the ongoing spread of the coronavirus on the continent. "The less travel, the more we can contain the virus," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Monday following a video conference between G7 leaders. She appeared confident that the European Council would sign off on the restriction in a Tuesday vote. The bloc's member states imposed aggressive measures on Monday, days after the World Health Organization (WHO) said Europe was at the epicenter of the pandemic. French President Emmanuel Macron declared "war" on the virus during a national address on Monday, banning all social events across the country -- including family gatherings. Macron said those who have gathered in public places in recent days have not been respecting previous measures to limit the outbreak's spread in France, which as of Monday had 5,380 con...

PhD positions: In Institute of Biochemistry, Jena University Hospital - Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany

PhD positions: In Institute of Biochemistry, Jena University Hospital - Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany 🇩🇪 . Subjects: Neurobiology / Imaging Description: 1 PhD position in Neurobiology / Imaging Prof. Britta Qualmann, Inst. of Biochem. I, UKJ - Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany Prof. Christian Geis, Section of Translat. Neuroimmunol., Dept. Neurol., UKJ We seek for a productive addition to our research team in a collaborative project. We plan to study pathomechanisms of synaptic changes underlying autoimmune disorders of the central nervous system applying super-resolution microscopy. The Geis lab examines immune-mediated changes of synapses by interactions with pathogenic human antibodies against neuronal proteins. Short- and long-term effects on neuronal networks are analyzed using electrophysiological and various microscopy methods. The Qualmann lab is an internationally well-known lab that focusses on proteins with the power to s...

80 pct of life stopped in Turkey due to outbreak, says interior minister

Turkish citizens, especially those living in metropolises, have been abiding by the “social isolation” principles laid out by the government, Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu has said, adding that almost 80 percent of life “stopped” in Turkey . “Up until now, just our ministry issued 38 circulars, 17 of which concern the borders. Many high-level precautions have been taken. Right now, 80 percent of life stopped in Turkey,” Soylu said on March 26 in an interview with a private broadcaster. Soylu also provided updated figures for passenger traffic. He said that there is a 73 percent decline in inter-city bus services, adding that these services can also be suspended if needed. On intra-city traffic, Soylu said that there has been an 80 percent decline. This figure was 65 percent according to another interview the minister held on March 25. The government has four cruxes it predicates on when taking measures against the spread of the novel coronaviru...

Infotainment News TV

Search This Blog