Written By: Longjam Dineshwori | Updated : November 26, 2020 10:21 AM IST
You’ll still need to wear a mask even after vaccines become available.
Health professionals around the world strongly recommend the use of face masks in public places to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Experts say that wearing a facial covering not only reduces the spray of respiratory droplets and helps curbs the spread of the coronavirus but also protects a mask wearer's risk of catching the virus. There have been several research reports supporting the benefits of wearing masks in reducing the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Now, a review of epidemiological studies has concluded that COVID-19 pandemic could be eradicated if at least 70 per cent of the public wore face masks consistently. The research, published in the journal Physics of Fluids, also noted that the type of material used and the duration of mask use play key roles in their effectiveness.
To come to this conclusion, the researchers looked at research on face masks and reviewed reports on whether they reduce the number of people an infected person spreads the pathogen to the reproduction number of the virus. If the reproduction number drops below 1, the epidemic stops spreading, they said in their report.
Consistent use of efficient face masks, such as surgical masks, could lead to the eradication of the pandemic if at least 70 per cent of the residents use such masks in public consistently, wrote the scientists, including Sanjay Kumar from the National University of Singapore.
Even less efficient cloth masks could also slow the spread if worn consistently, they added.
Fluid droplets are expelled from the nose and mouth when a person talks, sings, sneezes, coughs, or even simply breathes. Larger droplets, with sizes around 5-10 microns, are the most common. But smaller droplets, those below 5 microns, are possibly more dangerous as these can become aerosolized and remain suspended in air for long periods. Among the many types of masks in use (cloth masks, surgical masks, and N95 masks), only N95s can filter out aerosol-sized droplets, said the authors of the study.
According to them, face masks made of hybrid polymer materials could filter particles at high efficiency while simultaneously cooling the face. This is because the fibres used in these special masks are transparent to infrared radiation, allowing heat to escape from beneath the mask.
This means choosing face masks made of hybrid polymer materials may provide some comfort to those who require wearing face masks for many hours, especially in hot and humid environments.
In the past few days, some drug makers including Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca have made big announcement about the effectiveness of their COVID-19 vaccine candidates and their plans of releasing the shots this year.
With this good news, there's an excitement among people that they can stop wearing masks once the vaccines are available. Wearing a mask is not at all comfortable, we get it. But you'll still need to wear a mask even after vaccines become available. Here are reasons given by experts:
Even if one or more vaccines show safety and efficacy, it may take months or longer to get vaccinated. The mass vaccination across the country will not happen overnight. Plus, higher-risk groups may be prioritized over others. That means even if you want to get vaccinated, you may not be able to get it immediately.
As it won't be possible to vaccinate everyone at the same time, you won't know who has or hasn't got the shots. There are also many people who are skeptical of getting vaccinated and chances are that they may refuse to get the shots.
Most of the vaccines may require two doses, given weeks apart, to provide maximum protection. You won't know who has and hasn't completed their vaccination schedule. Therefore, you will still need to wear mask to protect yourself when around others.
Moreover, no one is so sure about the vaccines' effectiveness. There's also a possibility that vaccines may not work on some people. It is also not clear how long the protection will last after vaccination, with the vaccines rolling out so quickly.
Considering all these reasons, it will be wise to not take off your mask too early.
