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Everything that can be done should be done to break the epidemic of COVID-19 illness in communities around the country. if Present confusion If continued, economic and social losses will be unacceptably high. Most have listened to and followed the advice of public health leaders, but too many have resisted in ways that could lead to viral infections rather than stop the spread of the virus. This has led to a dramatic increase in cases over the past month. Wearing mask In addition to physical distance and frequent disinfection, it allows people to socialize in public places without the risk of infection. It’s not a choice of either or both, but the accommodation community makes it together.
The SARS-CoV2 virus that causes Covid-19 disease is anti-social in nature. It forces people to give up on their favorite social interactions, such as meeting friends and family, Eating out, Or go to a sporting event. No wonder people are outraged. What invisible can do this? Still, when an uninvited hurricane comes and destroys the community, people pick it up, the community enters the pitch, and the neighbor helps the neighbor. Recovery is not an easy task, unless you have a plan for it.
Wearing a mask is the same. Yes, it can be hot, scratched, odorous and claustrophobic for the wearer. They can’t stand for long periods of time. Wearing a mask prevents people from communicating through facial expressions and lip reading. Asking people to wear them can sometimes be interpreted as forcing them to take on something they are unmotivated.
Still, here’s what’s known about wearing masks in the public. They are effective. Scientific evidence shows that masks prevent the transmission of viruses. This is a peer-reviewed scientific study the study And because it’s more convincing video Shows how a mask reduces air flow from person to person. Masks prevent infected people from ejecting infectious viral particles. It may not be perfect, but it blocks the movement of the virus. Wearing a mask can also be a barrier in uninfected but crowded situations. Being indoors, especially in crowded environments, is more dangerous than being outdoors, where the outside environment dilutes infectious droplets.
Masks and face covers can provide some protection. Current advice is that the public should wear homemade covers so that medical masks and masks can be secured for high-risk exposure situations. the study Performance Homemade masks of common household materials can provide up to 40% or more protection, so the right combination of materials can provide better protection. Face shields have a barrier effect and can be used on people who cannot wear a mask with the warning that a survey should be conducted to measure their protective effect.
The science surrounding the pandemic is evolving faster and faster than ever before it is absorbed, considered, and put into action by the deliberative scientific community and public health leaders. This led to a mixed message that confused the public and created distrust of authoritative advice. Early in the pandemic, in the wake of global scarcity, the general public began to buy large quantities of medical (surgical) face masks and N95 masks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization have responded to the deficiency by issuing these medical masks and temporary advice asking the general public not to wear these masks. This was done to save the supply of first responders and medical staff. Later, the advice was modified to include the addition of handmade fabric face coverings.
This subtle message was not appreciated by those in the United States who were not prepared in advance to adopt the use of public masking. In Asia, by contrast, this is a recognized social practice and a cultural norm. Recent morning consultation poll It is gaining momentum as it shows a rising belief that wearing face protection is very or moderately effective, rising from 49% in March to 76% of all Americans in June.
Society obviously needs to be open, but it is keeping pace with keeping illness away. People need to work, children need to be at school, and Parenting Must be operational. This means doing open shops, restaurants, religious gatherings, performing arts, sports and many other activities, but carefully protected. This virus does not stop there. A mask or face barrier must be part of this protective package.
Any flare up can start another wave. The number of cases and mortality are already increasing at an alarming rate. Over the course of a month (June to July), the number of cases has increased by 100% in the United States, with 1 million more infections, but there is no evidence of a downward trend. In the past, fashion has revolutionized our society and behavior. This is one such epidemic, and people must accept the responsibility to take more cohesive actions to prevent the confusion we are experiencing right now. The outbreak of this virus is a test of our resilience as a society. This is the test we must pass with, because we are all already tired.
May C. Chu is a clinical professor at the Colorado School of Public Health, heading the Covid-19 team at the Center for Global Health / CSPH and joining the Covid-19 Research Committee of the World Health Organization. She worked at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, and the White House as Assistant Secretary of Public Health for the Science and Technology Policy Department of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.