4 Reasons Why Masks Keep You Safe from Covid-19
Speaking candidly, it's not natural to wear a covering over your nose. But as we battle with the Covid-19 virus, the least we can do is wear a mask in high-risk situations, where there's a possibility of getting infected or infecting others.
Wearing a face-covering doesn’t have to be boring. We have made it more meaningful by incorporating religious photomicrographs (images taken by a microscope) in our masks to promote self-expression. But first, let's look at the reasons why masks keep you safe from Covid-19.
- Masks trap respiratory droplets
The primary way covid-19 is transmitted from person to person is through respiratory droplets that find their way into contact routes such as your nose or mouth. People with respiratory symptoms such as coughing or sneezing can generate these respiratory droplets, which results in droplet transmission.
Masks provide a barrier that stops droplet transmission by filtering the air you breathe. Homemade cloth masks can also trap droplets, and adding more layers to them increases their filtering power.
Some cloth masks come with filter pouches allowing you to add replaceable filters that can be easily disposed of after use.
- Masks reduce droplets from the wearer
If someone is unmasked and they happen to cough, the droplets may spread as far as eight feet. However, six feet is recommended for social distancing as it also offers adequate protection and is more feasible. Wearing a mask restricts droplets from spreading up to one foot or 30 centimetres.
It’s imperative to note that you may have the virus and never show symptoms at all. Some super spreaders have indeed been people who have showed no symptoms or few flu symptoms but were responsible for large outbreaks.
This also means that you might not know if someone has the virus. And a mask can help in reducing the risk of asymptomatic transmission.
- Masks limit face touching
You are guilty as anyone else of constantly touching your face, even if it may have never crossed your mind. Maybe in the last hour or so, you may have rubbed your forehead, scratched your chin, or used your fingers to remove the discharge from your eyes after waking up.
The good thing about masks is that they keep you from touching your mucous membranes directly, particularly your nose and mouth. Remember that droplets from an infected person may land on your hands, or you may touch a contaminated surface. That's why you are advised to wash your hands, use a hand sanitizer, and not touch your face.
- Provides overall adherence
If you're sticking to mask-wearing, you may also be better inclined to follow other measures such as washing your hands. Keeping yourself protected may also lead you to advocate the practice of wearing masks to other people. It could be a brother, sister, or spouse who may be disregarding wearing masks and practicing other protection measures.
Becoming an advocate for mask-wearing may also have far-reaching outcomes, such as preventing someone with pre-existing conditions from contracting the virus.
At FaithMasks, you can express your religious values with symbolic masks that showcase the wonders of God's creation. Remember that using a mask alone will not completely offer protection from Covid-19. Practice other protection measures, such as social distancing and washing your hands.