Professor Kalibat replied that many more masks may have to be worn – people at risk do not need them

The authorities are already ending us with their prohibitions. All unhappy and afflicted by depression, artists and artists are starving, and small businesses are either bankrupt or already on the brink of bankruptcy. For this reason, not only in Lithuania, but also in other countries of the world, we see various protests against the decisions of those who are dissatisfied with the government, not to mention the diversity of opinions on social networks.

We have all become experts, we all express our position and we really know why COVID should or should not be vaccinated and what could be the best way to protect against coronavirus: intravenous disinfectant or structured water, or meditation and viral resistance of the body. perhaps sitting bare-bottomed in the snow or swimming in icy water. In a word, as many “experts” as opinions.

It certainly didn’t surprise me that the expert discussions about wearing masks started at the highest level. Rimas Jankūnas, a professor at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU) (apparently an expert on the use of masks), who was invited to the expert meeting, announced on Facebook that all experts agreed that he could propose to the government

The question is: why in two meters and not, for example, in three or four? After all, experiments have shown that by sneezing or coughing, the smallest droplets of secretion can fly in the air for 5-7 years, and up to 10. It has been found that a patient can release up to 10 million virus particles In an hour. Therefore, the basic principle is clear: the further you advance, the lower the chance of infection.

I am well aware that walking in a mask is too hot for some or may even lead to a panic attack, makeup is damaged for women, others have shortness of breath, especially in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or heart failure. But when faced with the relentless COVID-19 death statistics on a daily basis, you really understand that the inconvenience of wearing masks really pays off with a reduced risk of coronavirus and self-inflicted deaths.

Opponents will certainly tell me that the protection of medical masks ranges from 8% to 40% to 60%, based on research in many countries, so their protection is insufficient. I totally agree that protection is insufficient, but even partial protection is much better than none. After all, we don’t know exactly what critical mass of virus particles it takes to enter the airways to get sick.

Perhaps, the mask will surely save your life. Therefore, I really do not understand those taunts about the masks, when the deputy of the Seimas Rasa Budbergytė offered to wear not one, but two masks inside, which is what the current president of the United States is doing.

With the start of the first wave of coronavirus, when the leadership of the health ministry scoffed at wearing masks, it seems that I am the only one to write that in no way can I agree with the statement that a healthy person does not need a mask when a patient can cough or sneeze into someone’s face.

When there was a strict requirement to wear masks everywhere, I advised everyone who has a feeling of discomfort with the mask, if there are no people on the street or in the park within a distance of 20 meters, to temporarily remove the masks , Breathe freely. My suggestion once made that all people at risk should not wear masks but respirators with 95% protection, and people who cannot afford them should receive financial assistance from the state, you don’t seem to have listened. By the way, Germany strictly decided to use only respirators instead of masks. A beautiful and commendable example for other countries.

For many, the question rightly arises: when will the use of masks be revoked? We remind you that we are currently living in a period of strict quarantine, and your plan to change its restrictions is divided according to the quarantine scenarios A, B, C and D presented to the Government by experts, the incidence is still high. But when 100 thousand. the population will have less than 25 cases in 14 days, and the proportion of positive tests will be less than 4 percent (quarantine scenario A), we may not use masks in open spaces.

I will probably not be wrong in saying that the majority of the Lithuanian population expects at least 70% of the people will be vaccinated against the coronavirus, population immunity will be achieved, so we can forget about wearing masks.

Unfortunately, as a scientist who has been researching the human immune system for 10 years, I have to reduce optimistic moods. Even after vaccination, some people will not develop full immunity and will not be protected against COVID-19 infection. This is especially true for cancer patients, individuals after organ transplantation who receive immunosuppressive therapy for various autoimmune diseases. Therefore, these groups will probably be advised to use respirators in larger groups of people.