It is AQI 999 in most of Delhi, almost every day. The surrounding areas and indeed most of northern India are not doing much better at the moment. The annual sadness of heavy pollution has landed again in our cities. Various factors, including changes in temperature, wind speed, and wind direction. Add uncontrolled stubble burning to that, and what we have outside our windows is a suffocating gray envelope. We knew that air pollution was hurting us in the long run. However, now there is an added dimension that makes exposure to air pollution even more dangerous. Scientists say long-term exposure to air pollution increases the risk of dying if a person catches it coronavirus
, or COVID infection. A study published in Cardiovascular Research by the European Society of Cardiology suggests that the more a person has been exposed to air pollution, the lower their chances of being able to fight the COVID virus. The numbers are worrying. Research says that an estimated 15% of deaths worldwide from COVID-19 It could be attributed to prolonged exposure to air pollution. In Europe the share was around 19%, in North America it was 17% and in East Asia around 27%.
This makes it even more important that you wear face masks while walking outdoors. Not only at this time, to protect against COVID, but also to filter polluted air that you would otherwise breathe if you don’t wear a mask. Air pollution is a big problem in most cities in India, particularly in North India, something that gets worse at this time of the air due to various factors including burning stubble, changes in the pressure of the air, wind direction and humidity levels. Add PM 10, PM 0.3, pollen, dust, allergens, airborne irritants, pathogens, and volatile organic compounds, and what you’ve got is a pretty dangerous mix of things in the air that can get into your lungs and cause serious health problems. .
But how can you buy the right mask? Buying an anti-pollution mask is not easy at all, especially now that all other brands make masks that claim to protect you against COVID as well. Don’t believe all of these claims though – almost all mask makers claim that their masks are the best. But not all of them can be equally effective in filtering bad air before you breathe it in. As always, we keep an eye on a variety of masks and use them to see which ones will be able to give you the best protection against contamination, how each mask unfolds layers that can help trap bacteria and viruses and also dial in comfort. appearance. A high-quality, well-fitting mask can be helpful in keeping pollutants, fumes, PM2.5, PM10, and other airborne diseases out of the throat and lungs.
The reality is simple, whether you like it or not. High-quality masks cost more than the cheaper and often unreliable ones that you can now find on almost every physical shopping website or store. And really, you should pay for the extra protection. Saving some money now on masks can lead to bigger problems later.
What should you look for in a mask? I would have found the ratings of the skins: N95, N99, etc. The recent addition is masks that look like surgical masks and also cloth masks. Mind you, the ones available in most stores won’t do much to protect you against contamination or COVID. It’s as good as ripping a piece of fabric from a T-shirt and wrapping it around your face. It won’t do much good. More serious masks designed for high levels of air filtration include multiple layers, including a primary layer that traps the larger particles, another set of layers for smaller particles (sometimes multiple), and even activated carbon.
Then there’s the little thing about the valves. You may have seen some masks with valves and others without. For standard daily use and for most users, a non-valve option should suffice. However, if you feel short of breath after a while, this could be due to moisture build-up inside the mask. A single valve mask would work best for you. And if you intend to use the mask for an exercise routine like jogging or biking, you will ideally need a dual-valve mask because it also allows you to breathe better by increasing the flow of air available with each breath.
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