Biden, who called the wearing of the mask an “act of patriotism,” signed an executive order on Wednesday – his first as president – asking Americans to wear the mask of their choice for the first 100 days of the new administration. The executive order also requires the use of masks on all federal property, although in this case, just no old masks will do.
After the inauguration on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Jane Sasaki showed off her bright white N95 mask in a press briefing room. “I wore it here, of course, and will continue,” Pasaki said after removing his medical-grade mask and turning to questions.
N95 masks are considered the gold standard in personal protective devices because they block 95% of large and small particles using a unique electrostatic filter.
The filter works by trapping neutral particles such as bacteria and viruses before passing through the mask and protecting the wearer and those around him. It’s similar to how socks can get stuck in a blanket in the dryer. The N95 mask, which costs about ડ 5d, also fits securely on the face, eliminating most leakage that can occur with a loose-fitting cloth or paper mask.
Studies have shown that masks significantly reduce the likelihood of infecting or contracting coronavirus. But not all masks offer the same protection. Depending on the fabric and the number of layers, homemade and simple cloth masks have a range of effectiveness that can be as low as 26%, making the wearer sensitive.
Physicians from Brigham Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Drs. Some experts, such as Abrar Karan, have been advocating the public use of N95 masks since the beginning of the epidemic. Dr. Sanjay, CNN’s chief medical correspondent. In an interview with Sanjay Gupta, Dr. Ka Karan shows why N95 is serious at this stage of the epidemic.
“If you had to wear this mask indoors in those dangerous settings in the country for four weeks, what kind of difference do you think it would make?” Gupta asked.
“This will stop the epidemic,” Karan replied.
The quality of protection that a face mask can provide is crucial. Respiratory disease like coronavirus is transmitted by aerosols, small particles that float in the air and get stuck. Some virus-carrying particles are small enough to travel through or around a low-quality mask, making them susceptible to inhalation of wearing viral particles.
“We now know that aerosols spread best when there is poor ventilation, congestion and close contact,” Karan told Gupta in an interview. “So we were arguing that really in those settings, cloth masks alone wouldn’t block aerosols.”
Karan is not the only expert who will raise voice in support of good quality masks for the general public. Former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. “Encouraging Americans to wear high-quality masks is a simple step that can make a difference,” Scott Gottlieb wrote in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal.
The biggest problem is the lack of supply. This week marks a full year of coronavirus, and the Biden administration is committed to introducing the Defense Production Act more often to increase production of N95 masks and other critical supplies. Experts hope that there will be a momentum to provide adequate supply to the product.
The director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Dr. “The N95 that is clearly equipped is the best you can do,” Anthony Fawcett told CNN on Friday. “You can now get its product at a higher rate.”
Karan believes the NC95 mask could be an essential asset in reopening the economy as vaccine rollout has slowed and quarantine fatigue has increased.
“If we have better personal security for people, they can return to work more safely. They can rejoin more safely, especially if we don’t have to have testing and tracing,” Karan said.
“This will be a way to bring people back and get the economy back on track.”
Some European countries are already taking that step to prevent the spread of coronavirus in their borders. Earlier this week, Germany and France mandated that all citizens wear high-filtration masks such as the N95 in all public places.
After months of treating coronavirus patients, Karan says it’s time to invest in making sure the masks people wear are more effective. “Focus on getting as many people as possible a better mask, focus on the messaging around the mask, be consistent with your messaging, make the mask a part of American culture to prevent epidemics.”
The key here is to always wear a mask whenever you are in public. A study by Lancet Digital Health found that a 10% increase in mask-wear could triple the barriers to maintaining control of virus transmission in the community. The ability to control the spread of coronavirus is in our hands … and on our face.
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