Why You Should Wear A Face Mask During The Pandemic

Introduction

Since the Corona outbreak, it has become common for many to don a face mask with good bacterial filtration efficiency before leaving the house. But there are still people out there who refuse to put in on, despite desperate pleas from health professionals, family, and friends. As the number of coronavirus cases continues to fluctuate, many have come to question the efficacy of wearing them, with many seeing them as an unnecessary hindrance. There are tons of studies that have pointed to mask-wearing as a powerful way to help prevent the virus from spreading. If you are still sceptical about the efficacy of face masks, read on!

They Help To Protect The People Around You

The main way that the Covid virus spreads from one person to another is when an infected person produces respiratory droplets through coughing, sneezing, or talking to other people. Wearing a face mask will act as a protective barrier to block the virus-infected droplets from landing on the people around you, potentially infecting other people too. A research study has come out that shows the efficacy of disposable and non-disposable face masks when it comes to reducing the number of droplets being disseminated into the air and limiting the distance in which the droplets move. According to the research study, the control experiment showed that without any facial coverings, the droplets were able to travel more than eight feet, whereas wearing a bandanna was able to cut the distance to around three feet. Cotton cloth was able to reduce it even further, the droplets were only able to travel approximately one foot. Hence, based on the scientific study, it seems quite evident that wearing some sort of facial covering can significantly reduce the amount of exposure that the people around you have to droplets that you produce, which is particularly crucial now that we know covid is transmitted through these droplets — which brings us on to the next point.

You May Be Contagious But Not Know It

Since masks prevent droplets from spreading and travelling, then it seems like the only people who should wear masks are those who have contracted Covid, so as to protect the people around them from catching the virus. However, it so happens that many people who contract the virus do not show symptoms in the first few days of contracting it but can be spreading the virus during that time — they are also known as presymptomatic cases. That is not all! In fact, many people who have Covid don’t show any symptoms at all, they are also considered asymptomatic cases, but the peculiar thing is, despite not exhibiting any symptoms, these asymptomatic people are still able to spread the virus. As such, the prevalence of asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic cases is a huge cause for alarm as many people may be spreading the virus without meaning to or knowing that they are — as such, it is pivotal that everybody wears a mask in public as a form of protection. This also means that you should be testing for Covid regularly, even though you don’t or haven’t exhibited symptoms — while it may be uncomfortable and inconvenient, it all boils down to being a socially responsible citizen. Many health organizations have proclaimed that everyone, even those who think they are healthy and Covid-free, should wear a mask. This is to ensure that they do not unknowingly infect others, especially those who are aged and immunocompromised, as these vulnerable groups may become extremely sick if they get infected. 

It Is A Form Of Protection For You Too

It is not all about protecting your loved ones and those in your immediate vicinity, wearing a face mask will also provide a form of protection for you, and the person wearing it as well. The personal advantages of donning a face mask are more obvious when everyone wears it, similar to the logic behind a herd mentality. The idea is that with more people wearing masks that cover their mouths and noses, then fewer people get infected with the virus, resulting in lesser spreads within a community. Wearing masks will intervene and help to put a stop to the chain of viral spreading — which is to everybody’s benefit. In the United States, there are certain states that have enforced mask mandates, which have shown a more significant decrease in Coronavirus cases reported as compared to those without mask mandates. These policies have supposedly prevented over a hundred thousand cases in the states alone, which is quite impressive. 

Things Can Go Back To “Normal” Faster

With the many lockdowns put in place to control the spread of the coronavirus, much to everybody’s displeasure. It is no exaggeration that staying locked indoors for months at a time can be incredibly distressing for many and can take a toll on one’s mental health. Thankfully, mandatory mask policies can substitute lockdowns. The economic damage caused by the many lockdowns to businesses and individuals was drastic, with the slow-moving economy came many headcount freezes and retrenchments. It is safe to say that having another lockdown is not favourable — but the good news is that wearing masks can decelerate the rate of COVID transmission, which also means that there will be a lesser need to go into lockdown again. If precautions, such as wearing masks, are not implemented, the outbreak will likely go out of control again.

Conclusion

All in all, masks have proven to not only protect you from the Coronavirus but the people around you as well. Even if you think that you are in the pink of health and that everything will be okay even if you catch COVID, there are people out there who will face deadly consequences if they do. If the outbreak is not under control, it is also likely that lockdowns will be implemented which can be a massive hit to the economy. So for the sake of them, and for yourself, it is crucial that we practice some social responsibility. This includes social distancing, frequent handwashing, and of course, wearing masks. These are simple things you can do in your daily lives that can help to reduce the transmission of COVID.