Does wearing a mask pose any health risk?
No, not for most people. Babies and young children should not wear masks because they could suffocate. The same goes for anyone who has trouble removing a mask without help.
Others can wear masks without risking their health, according to experts, despite false rumors to the contrary.
In areas where COVID-19 is spreading, health experts agree that wearing masks or other facial covers in public helps reduce the risk of the virus spreading when people cannot socially distance themselves by staying 6 feet away.
CORONAVIRUS CAN STILL PASS BETWEEN FACE MASK USERS, EVEN WHEN THEY HAVE 4 STARTING FEET: STUDY
The coronavirus is spread mainly through the drops that are emitted when people talk, laugh, sing, cough, and sneeze. Masks reduce the chance that these drops will reach other people. Even if you don’t have symptoms, you could carry the virus and spread it.
When it’s wet outside, it may seem like it’s harder to breathe if you’re not used to wearing a mask, said Benjamin Neuman, a biology professor at Texas A&M University-Texarkana. But he said that masks do not significantly decrease oxygen in the body.
“The body is good enough to adapt to keep oxygen levels where they need to be,” he said.
There’s also no evidence that wearing masks causes fungal or bacterial infections, according to Davidson Hamer, an infectious disease expert at Boston University. Disposable masks should be used once and then thrown away. With cloth masks, it is a good idea to wash them regularly.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE
Wearing a mask can be uncomfortable, but health officials say you should resist any urge to touch your face. That could carry germs from your hands to your nose, mouth, or eyes.
