Masks 101

✹Please note that the information contained in this article is based on CDC guidelines and not based on local or state mandates.

With the number of COVID-19 cases increasing in our region, officials are responding by implementing mandatory face coverings in public.

Cloth face coverings are the most convenient and eco-friendly option, while it's recommended that N-95 and surgical-grade masks be reserved for healthcare professionals at this time. Cloth face coverings are also easy to make, easy to wash, and can help to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

While a cloth face covering may not entirely prevent you from contracting COVID-19, it may reduce your ability to spread it to other people in a public setting. Many people who contract the virus, or may be carrying it, can be asymptomatic. If both the asymptomatic/ill person and the noninfected person are wearing face coverings, the likelihood of transmission is decreased. The CDC recommends the wearing of these face coverings for every person over the age of 2, especially in public places where social distancing measures may be hard to maintain. However, they do recognize special instances in which wearing a mask may be difficult. A few of these include:

Young children who may not be able to wear face coverings for an extended period of time.
Persons with developmental disabilities.
Those with underlying respiratory illnesses.
Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing if they depend on lipreading for communication.
Those who work in an environment where a face covering can increase the risk of heat-related illness

Other precautions need to be taken in these instances.

Myths about the use of masks to slow the spread of COVID-19 have unfortunately been circulating, especially on social media outlets. One of these is that the wearing of a mask can result in carbon dioxide poisoning - while health professionals have been wearing masks for extended amounts of time for years with no ill effects. Another claim is that the masks are of no use in slowing the spread of COVID-19. Several studies have been conducted on this since the start of the pandemic, and most have come to the same conclusion: wearing a face-covering in addition to social distancing and hand-washing measures is essential to help slow the spread of the virus.

Using masks properly is critical. If you are wearing a cloth face mask, be sure to wash it with soap and water and hang to dry daily. Be sure to grasp the mask by the elastic ear-bands and not the face-covering itself. Take care not to touch the face-covering part of the mask, and if you do, make sure to wash your hands afterward.

Sources:
UTSW Med
CDC