Face Masks: Are they really our protectors?
After unlock, employees are returning back and now the challenge they are facing is compulsory wearing a Face mask during office hours.
Here question arises whether Face masks are Health or Unhealthy? Are they really our Protectors?
Wearing a Face mask almost all the time is something new for all of us and we are not habitual of this.
In western countries, the face mask was earlier also their part of life in some way, but in India, this is completely a new system of living, which we Indians never expected to wear face masks most of the time.
Now wearing Face masks most of the time had changed our lives, which we never assumed.
Apart from the office now city administration is also demanding from us to wear face mask all the time while we are out of our home.
One news got published in the leading newspaper that we have to wear face make in driving a car even if we are alone, morning walkers are also supposed to wear face masks.
Dialer tone, public announcements are doing to wear a face mask when you are out of the home, do not go out of the home without having the same.
All this indicates wearing a face mask every time across all age groups at all times, which is uncomfortable for all of us.
All these new guidelines are just imposed on the local public and without knowing the aftermath effect on the health of any individuals.
Everyday city Administration is issuing guidelines for wearing a face mask every time, but nobody can explain when not to wear a face mask or what is the right way to handle it in some situations.
If you closely observe that wearing facemask every time is gradually changing our breathing cycle and also lead to anxiety, headaches, increased heart rate, dizziness, and fatigue, said Mark Carbone, Cocoa Beach, Florida-based CEO of PN Medical, which provides respiratory training and services in the worker’s compensation sector.
Nina Bausek, PN Medical’s chief scientist, Vienna, Austria, said the wearing mask for over a long time is changing my breathing pattern, “Either you are going into hyperventilation or you are restricting your breathing,” she said. “Most people will breathe more rapidly or more shallow” when wearing a face covering for extended periods of time.
She added that wearing makes people retain more carbon dioxide while covering their mouth and nose, she said, adding the physiological side effect is fatigue.
“When people take off their mask it appears they are trying to catch their breath,” Ms. Bausek said. “It adds to your fatigue because you are not getting enough oxygen”.
Aftermath the COVID-19 outbreak, now we have to learn to wear masks 8-10 hours a day, which is also very challenging for all of us as a new habit.
But wearing it for such long hours is also demands more of its education rather than just following the same in an unhealthy way as a new trend.
The battle against COVID is not ended. Even the second wave of COVID started us to use two masks, called ‘Double Masking’.
At present, double masking i.e use a surgical mask with a cloth mask gives better protection against this deadly disease.
Studies have shown that the use of Double masking could reduce COVID exposure nearby 95 percent.
But again before using Double masking, first we should know how to wear it.
Below are some of the common guidelines for double masking
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Do not use double masking with an N-95 mask
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Do not use the same mask as double e.g. two surgical masks or Disposable mask
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Do not use any disinfectant on masks
Now new issues are emerging associated with skin problems by using Face masks-Maskane.
Maskane is a type of skin acne, which results when mask rubs against your faces. Skin redness or irritation are other associated issues with this.
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