Face masks are a hotly debated, controversial topic at the moment in Germany. Today, we want to give our opinion on face masks.
Face masks and protective gear are in short supply at hospitals, it is there they are needed now, since personnel is in close contact to patients. Therefore, the discussion about a mandatory face mask use is as of yet not needed.
Medical personnel and scientists working in hospitals or high security labs do have a mandatory face mask use. To show you the difference to the everyday life, this means personnel don a protective coat or whole-body protection, followed by a sort of hairnet, wash their hands, put on a face mask and goggles or face shield, which is completeded with one or two pairs of disposable gloves. From this moment on, the face is no longer being touched. A detailed education and training is needed in order for personnel to correctly use the protective gear. This is no ordinary procedure, it needs experience and discipline. The doffed protective gear is regarded as highly infectious, and thus is inactivated and disposed of by specialized facilities.
The problem with SARS-CoV-2: Infected persons spread the virus before the onset of symptoms. In the first days after infection, affected persons do not know about their condition.
Does a face mask protect me from becoming infected? It does not.
The only reason to wear a standard face mask lies in the fact, that the wearer does reduce the amount of virus released by breathing. There is still a significant amount of aerosol, that is released through the mask. It is not a perfect protection for others. The rule of distancing still applies.
Home-made face masks: Most of the aerosols in your breath will go through the mask, while only a small portion of it will remain in the mask. You may realize this once your mask is becoming damp. Now, your mask is potentially infectious itself. Thus, now your mask needs to be handled accordingly: Cleaning in the washing machine using detergent, or hanging the mask in a suitable place for four days to let it air-dry. Consequently, depending on your frequency of use, you will need to sew a whole bunch of masks. Our opinion: They do not help, they keep you busy, but do not pose any harm.
A face mask does not make sense during a walk in the woods, fresh air may reach your lungs unfiltered.
In short: Should it be impossible to keep a 6-feet distance (f.e. in public transportation), it may be useful if EVERYBODY were to wear a face mask, since only then EVERY INFECTED PERSON would also be wearing a mask and thus reducing aerosol output a bit. A spread is not prevented, it is reduced. Our opinion: Better avoid packed public transportation vehicles.
The best protection is a distance of at least six feet, and to avoid touching your face. These measures are not invalidated by face masks.
Should you still want to wear a face mask, you should be informed about the correct use, since we have made disturbing observations: Most people in the streets and supermarkets are using the masks incorrectly. Some just cover their mouths, others put their phones to their ears while wearing a mask. And others yet push the mask below their chin, just to replace it over nose and mouth again. Many people touch their faces because the mask is itching the skin, or are repeatedly correcting the mask’s position. All these make face masks useless.
Touching the face (and hence the mask) may transfer virus from mask to hand or vice versa. An incorrectly used face mask is doing more harm than wearing no mask at all.
This is a short instruction to the correct application of face masks:
How to don the face mask:
- Before donning, the hands are washed, please see our blog post https://www.sajo-innovation.de/blog/how-to-wash-your-hands-for-the-young-and-the-adults/
- With clean hands, the face mask is touched at its strings, exclusively. Once the mask is put over nose and mouth, the strings are fixed behind the ears. Now, the mask is stretched to completely cover nose and mouth.
- From now on, the mask will not be touched again!
- Don’ts: The mask will not be pulled under the chin to be pulled up again later; it will not be lifted to take a snack or drink. There will be no phone at your ear.
How to doff the face mask:
- Before doffing, the hands need to be washed (see above).
- The mask will be handled at its strings, exclusively, and pulled forward from the face.
- The mask is disposed of in a closed container.
- Then the hands need to be washed again (see above)
Should the face mask become damp, it needs to be replaced, i.e. the whole procedure (hand washing, doffing of mask, hand washing, donning of new mask) needs to start again. This is not easily done in the street.
As you may see, it is not easy to correctly use a face mask. Wearing face masks does make sense only, if done so correctly.
Should you want to wear a mask, you should start practising now. Don your mask in front of a mirror, or even better: Ask a friend to watch you and correct any mistake. Again: Practice makes perfect.
Please, DO NOT FEEL SECURE when wearing a mask. Your mask is protecting others from you, not the other way around.
Finally, our personal opinion: As long as distancing is obeyed, there is no need for mandatory face masks. In places, that do not allow for enough distancing, a face mask may reduce aerosol release. However, a face mask does only make sense, if EVERYBODY is wearing it, and EVERYBODY knows how to handle them. Thus, we DO NOT think, it makes sense to impose a MANDATORY wearing of face masks everywhere.
Please, question your behavior and adjust to the current situation, get informed, learn, practice, and respect others; stress and panic are bad advisers.
Take care of yourself and your loved ones!
Sabine and Joerg