A top doctor in B.C. considered the use of face masks to help lower the spread of COVID-19.
There has been an increasing interest and adoption of face masks in Western countries as the rate of infections in some Asian countries with longtime mask use seems to be slow and with a “flatter” curve than the exponential growth of infections seen in Europe and the United States.
According to the provincial health officer, the use of masks has been considered, knowing what has been going on around the world. Although they are not medical masks, they can keep droplets in when you are out and about with others. What is not proven, is that they provide you with any protection.
Medical professionals around the globe have prefaced all discussion about the widespread use of masks with the reiteration that medical-grade, N95 masks must be reserved for healthcare workers on the front lines who are constantly exposed to the virus. It was also emphasized that masks are not substitutes for handwashing and physical distancing.
When masks are worn, it can help lessen the droplets spread into the environment and if somebody is infected and has mild symptoms or early on in the illness, it can prevent the spread of droplets to others.
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https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/types-of-face-mask
https://www.livescience.com/are-face-masks-effective-reducing-coronavirus-spread.html
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/cloth-face-coverings-information.pdf