Saswati Sarkar
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Written By: Saswati Sarkar | Updated : July 7, 2020 8:15 AM IST
WHO ने कपड़ों का मास्क और सर्जिकल मास्क पहनने को लेकर गाइडलाइन जारी की है।
The rate of COVID-19 infections is rising at an alarming rate in India and all over the world. While treatment options like remdesivir and various vaccines are being explored to tame the novel coronavirus, maintaining hand hygiene and social distancing along with mandatory use of face mask are considered to be the best ways to protect against this deadly virus as of now.
However, during the initial days of the COVID-19 pandemic, little was known about the efficacy of face masks against the hitherto unknown virus. So, experts, research bodies and policy makers weren't sure about the importance of mass usage of face masks. However, a few recent studies have us believe that face masks can be instrumental in bringing down the rate of COVID-19 transmission.
A recent study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society A found that wearing a mask in public places as a general practice is twice effective in reducing the spread of COVID-19 than donning it after the symptoms manifest. The research noted that mass usage of face masks, coupled with lockdown could save us from further waves of the pandemic. Prompted by studies like this, the World Health Organization also has recommended the usage of fabric masks to decrease the spread of this deadly disease.
Though much has been said about medical masks, we still have little data about how useful a non-medical, homemade cloth mask is, against the COVID-19 infection, the best fabric, so on and so forth. But there is some good news on this front now. A new study conducted at the Florida Atlantic University suggests that masks made with two layers of stitch-quilted cotton fabric is the best while it comes to restricting the spread of virus-loaded droplets emitted by coughing and sneezing.
The researchers noted that the performance of this cloth face covering is even better than 'professional grade face mask.' For this study, published in the journal Physics of Fluids, researchers reviewed cone-style masks, those made with bandana, handkerchief, and stitch-quilted cotton fabric. They used laser light and glycerine to find out the distance droplets can travel with these cloth-based face masks on. Here is what they found:
Droplets emitted by cough from a bandana-covered mask travelled a distance of 3 feet.
Droplets from a handkerchief covered a distance of 1 foot 3 inches
Droplets emitted from behind cone-style masks travelled 8 inches.
Droplets from stitch-quilted cotton fabric covered a distance of 2.5 inches.
If not covered with a face mask, droplets from coughs and sneezes marched for more than 8 feet.
It is extremely important to use your face masks in the right way for them to be effective against the COVID-19 infection. Here are a few things to keep in mind.
