Face mask and cover: common mistakes and precautions
Coronavirus is spreading fast and it is here to stay. We have to take all possible precautionary measures to avoid infection. Many people who get infected are getting it because they did some mistakes while taking these precautions. The most common mode of infection of novel coronavirus is through respiratory droplets that can infect us via eyes, nose or mouth.
When we caught, sneeze or even talk, tiny droplets are released from our mouth and spread around. The droplets released from an COVID-19 infected person can carry coronavirus. If by accident you breathe in such droplets, you may get the disease. So, you must cover your face to avoid infection.
There are still doubts like should you wear a face mask and which face cover you should use? Shall you use a homemade face mask? What should be cloth for a homemade face mask? Or shall you buy a face mask? Which face mask you should buy? What are precautions with a face mask? How to protect other parts of the head? We will answer all these doubts.
World health organization recently requested everyone to at least wear a homemade mask and also released proper guidelines of its components. We will come to it but first, let's look at common mistakes we do with a face mask.
Common mistakes people make with face masks:
Face mask mistake 1: Leaving gaps
The most important thing is facemask or face cover should fit in such a way that no air can come from the sides. If you are buying a mask, make sure it has that slim metal/plastic plate on top of the nose that you can press to avoid air passage from there.
There are ways to test this.
Test 1:
If you have any doubt, wear big spectacles or sunglasses after wearing a face mask and blow air with moderate force. If you got vapour on top of face mask, the air is passing from above. This works even better in cold or in the spectacles are cooled in a normal refrigerator for 2 minutes before doing this.
Test 2
If you have a doubt that your face mask is not fit from any side (usually it can be loose near the chin), you put a piece of light paper on that side, cover other sides and blow air from the mouth. If the paper moves, the mask is not fit.
Solution
If you can’t tight it by stretching the strip, just put some cotton/thin cloth in the gaps that is enough to cover the gap but do not hurt you.
Face mask mistake 2: Wrong cloth material
Your face mask should not be made up of porous cloth. The best cloth is cotton, polypropylene and polyester. Face cover made of at least 3 layers is good. Don’t try thick cloth, you might not be able to breathe from it, and don’t use a very thin cloth, its useless to wear it.
Additionally don't use a face mask made up of stretchable cloth, it will increase pore size when stretched making it very less effective. Stretch your mask and look at any light source through it. If you can see light rays coming through holes in the fabric, your mask is almost useless.
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Image: Identification of unsafe face mask. A bad face mask shows small holes when stretched and looked upon at light source. |
If you have already bought one such mask, it will be good if you stitch a cotton cloth inside it or preferably polypropylene cloth outside of it.
Face mask mistake 3: Touching your face mask
Face mask mistake 4: Sharing is not caring for face mask
Face mask mistake 5: Washing or disinfecting in the wrong way
Face mask mistake 6: Keeping used mask here and there
Face mask mistake 7: Using the same mask for the whole day
Face mask mistake 8: Wearing mask below nose or gap below the chin
Some people think that novel coronavirus goes trough mouth so they leave the nose open. This is utter stupidity. Please don't do this friend.
I met a well-educated man yesterday who had left a big gap below chin while wearing a very good quality N95 mask. And he was scared of getting an infection of coronavirus. When I mentioned him this mistake, he said then how will I breathe? The whole purpose of the mask is mainly breathing through it.
If you are also doing any of the above two mentioned things, please don't.
Face mask mistake 9: Reusing cloth to cover the face
It is observed in many developing and underdeveloped countries that people use cloth such as a handkerchief, Towel etc. when they go out. When they come back or when no one is around, they move it down or remove and keep in the pocket or somewhere.
Now when the again go out or someone coms they just take that hanky or towel again and tie on the face. Now there is a very high chance that the surface that was outside before will be inside now. So whatever stuck on mask last time, will now directly go inside your mouth and nose.
How to solve this problem?
a. If it's possible, change cloth after every use.
b. I agree that the upper step may not be possible for some people. Say for shopkeepers or people repeatedly going out. In such case, at least don't keep it in your pocket or table when you remove it, else it will contaminate your pocket or table. If you have to, remove the cloth from the side and hang it somewhere in a corner.
c. Put a mark on one side of the mask. Say a small design or something on the outer side so that you don't flip the side while wearing it again.
d. While removing and wearing it again, do clean your hands before and after touching it.
Face mask mistake 10: Thinking face mask will totally save you from coronavirus
Face mask mistake 11: Sliding down your mask to the chin
Face mask mistake 12: Using mask with valve
A few more pro-tips for the face mask usage
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Image: Face masks tied on back of the head are generally more comfortable |
ii. Recently ex-Apple engineer founded Fix the mask. The yar showing the world how to fix your normal mask that there is no leakage. You can check their ideas in the link above. One such trick is just by using three simple rubber bands and anyone can make it in a home in a minute. Check it out:
World Health Organization’s (WHO) new guidelines for a homemade mask
On 5th June 2020, WHO released new guidelines on how to make a face mask at home during novel coronavirus pandemic. The homemade face mask should be made of at least three layers of clothes. The innermost layer should be a soft cloth such as cotton or cotton blends. The middle layer should preferably be made of water-repelling cloth such as polypropylene, or at least a later of cotton. The outer later should be strictly made of water-repelling cloth such as polypropylene or polyester or its blends. You can check it in the video below shared by WHO. This is strictly recommended for a common man and not for healthcare workers or anyone taking care of COVID-19 positive person as they come across a very heavy dose of virus and should use N95 mask.
When to wear a face mask?
You are not supposed to wear face cover all day long. If you are in a public place, in-office where many people are around, at a relative’s/friend’s place or such places where people are coming from different places or there is a chance of coronavirus infection, you need to wear a mask. You do not need to wear a face mask in your home unless there is someone COVID-19 positive or someone having strong symptoms of COVID-19 in your home.
A myth about-face mask
One more misunderstanding that some people have is wearing any green cloth face mask will save them from coronavirus. This is likely because usually movies and TV shows used to show doctors wearing a green cloth mask. Please keep one thing in mind, the colour of cloth does not affect the virus. It is the material especially the density of threads that filters droplets.
Protect your eyes and whole face as well
Another mode of infection could be eyes. You cannot put a
mask on the eyes. Wearing spectacles whenever you are in public is a good idea.
Even if you don’t have an eye issue, use big plain specs or sunglasses when in public.
Whenever you return from a crowded place, it is best if you take a good bath including hair wash. If you are not keen on hair wash after return, you can use a cap or a hair cover. If you are out shopping on a bike, don’t remove your helmet.
Conclusion
In the time of coronavirus pandemic, take all the precaution properly, save your mouth, nose and eyes from possible infection. Keep washing/ sterilizing your hands, don't touch your face repeatedly and last but not the least maintain physical distancing. If you follow these properly, you may have a very low chance of getting an infection of coronavirus.
Thanks for the read, keep smiling and stay healthy.
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6 Comments
Thanks for the information. I bought my face mask from market but never realized when I stretched it to wear, it was making pores. And it was not fitting well on my nose also. I was
ReplyDeletehappily roaming with it outside. Many of us here are using this kind of mask. I'll try to make a new on.
We are happy to know that information was useful. Please inform others who are doing such mistakes.
DeleteStay safe
The information is very important and useful.Thanks.
DeleteMask has become a a part of our life This information is very important and useful to everyone . Thanks.
DeleteThanks
DeleteIf there are this many rules just for the mask, what is the use? I know, it sounds like I am whining, well I am.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info. I HAVE been doing it wrong.
No matter what we do, this thing is still out there. There’s always the chance of infection. Let’s beat this thing back. If we all cooperate, we can.
If you have any doubts, please let us know.