Introduction
The coronavirus pandemic has forced millions of people around the world to start wearing protective masks. This need appeared because airborne droplets actively transmit the virus, and through masks, people seek to protect themselves from infection. Wearing masks is a necessary means of protection against the spread of various viruses, including coronavirus infection. This problem was chosen for research because people still reacted differently to the obligation to wear respiratory protection. Although the effectiveness of masks to protect a healthy person from infection from the outside has not been proven, masks help carriers not to infect other people, and when properly worn and put on, they increase the likelihood of not getting infected.
Importance of Face Masks
In their study, Ricky Tso and Benjamin Cowling, researchers at the Department of Psychology & Psychological Assessment and Clinical Research Unit, and the authors of the article Importance of Face Masks for COVID-19: A Call for Effective Public Education discuss the issue of the obligation to wear masks. The researchers claim that wearing masks is mandatory for employees of medical institutions and all people (2). There are cases of asymptomatic carrying of the disease, which does not affect its carrier but is actively transmitted to other persons (Coronavirus Pandemic). Tso and Cowling cite statistics relevant for 2020, which indicates that more than 4 million people were infected and more than 280 thousand died (1). Citing these statistics, the authors are probably trying to demonstrate the need for people to wear masks to protect themselves and others.
The article concludes with information from microbiology sources about which virus transmission channels exist. In addition, the authors demonstrate the effectiveness of introducing a mask regime and quarantine on the example of several countries in which the spread of coronavirus was significantly less harmful than in the rest. The article is quite informative and helpful, as it describes the practical benefits of wearing masks and provides convincing facts in favor of this decision of the heads of state.
The following article that demonstrates the need to wear masks was written by Raina MacIntyre, PhD, and Jay Hasanain, MD, and is called Community universal face mask use during the COVID 19 pandemic—from households to travellers and public spaces. The opinion of these authors should be considered authoritative since they are Doctors of Sciences and have been working for a long time to study the spread of infection and preventive measures against it. In their study, the authors cite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where records were published about the need for hand hygiene and not about the need to wear masks at the beginning of the pandemic (1). Such propaganda did not have sufficient effect, and the infection continued to spread.
However, by adding to hand washing, wearing respiratory protection in the form of masks helped reduce the spread of coronavirus infection, which was transmitted from an infected person to a healthy person in crowded places. The article was written in 2020, but the recommendations for choosing the material of masks and their disinfection remain relevant to this day and will be applicable until the virus is completely eradicated. With their research, the authors seek to prove to people that wearing masks is an essential attribute in protecting against the disease. The information presented in the article is important for conducting further research on the topic I have chosen, as it gives clear instructions on wearing masks to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
The following article written by Luciano Bubbico et al. is called Community Use of Face Masks against the Spread of COVID-19 and tells about the transmission of coronavirus infection and measures to protect the population from it. The researchers are employees of various medical institutions, and therefore the information described in detail in the article can be considered reliable. The article was written in 2021, which means that it is as relevant as possible. The information presented in the authors’ work is crucial because it sets out methods of individual protection against the virus, thereby helping to understand how each person can escape from infection and prevent the spread of disease from a sick person to a healthy one.
The authors describe in detail the penetration of the virus through the nasal cavities with warm and cold air. Bubbico et al. it is claimed that inhaling air filled with virus particles is the leading cause of infection. The mask protects against disease in the nose and its spread through the human body. The authors noted that some psychological and social aspects harmed people, and therefore they do not want to wear masks, explaining this by the fact that this attribute is ineffective in fighting infection (3). Due to large-scale refusals wearing masks, the virus continued to spread. Consequently, the authorities of some states were forced to impose restrictions on visiting public places and mandatory mask regimes. The information provided in this study is necessary for further work on my research of the need to wear masks as preventive measures.
Influence of Masks
Nevertheless, there is an opinion that masks are not a suitable means of protecting the population. This study is described in detail by Ewa Zender-Swiercz et al. in the article Influence of Masks Protecting against SARS-CoV-2 on Thermal Comfort. The authors are employees of various departments working with the needs of the population. They claim that masks do not protect people from virus particles entering the body and do not filter submicron particles (2). In addition, the size of masks is universal and does not provide a tight fit to the face. It also affects the invasion of infection.
The authors cite the World Health Organization, which gives recommendations on the correct use of masks in their work. They recommend washing your hands thoroughly before putting on the mask, ensuring that it fits snugly to the face, and changing it when moistened (2). Such suggestions are genuinely working, and people will be able to use the mask as successfully as possible. After carefully studying the article, we can conclude that the mask cannot completely protect a person from infection with a virus. In addition, the mask prevents the active saturation of the blood with oxygen, so it does not allow you to breathe fully (Guidance for Wearing Masks). The information presented in the article is relevant today since the research was conducted in 2021. The counterarguments regarding respiratory protection are convincing and will also help in further study of the topic.
Conclusion
In conclusion, many convincing arguments indicate that the mask regimes were not canceled, and people used personal protective equipment. Still, there are enough articles and studies conducted by reputable people who prove that wearing masks is not a good measure to prevent infection. One way or another, a mask regime in public places, careful hand hygiene, and restrictions imposed by states can help overcome the disease and reduce the spread of infection.
Works Cited
Bubbico, Luciano, et al. “Community Use of Face Masks against the Spread of COVID-19.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 18, no. 1, 2021, pp. 1-13. Web.
Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19). Our World in Data, 2021, Web.
Guidance for Wearing Masks. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021, Web.
MacIntyre, Raina and Hasanain, Jay. “Community universal face mask use during the COVID 19 pandemic—from households to travellers and public spaces.” Journal of Travel Medicine, vol. 27, no. 3, 2020, pp. 1-3. Web.
Tso, Ricky and Cowling, Benjamin. “Importance of Face Masks for COVID-19: A Call for Effective Public Education.” Viewpoints, vol. 10, no. 1, 2020, pp. 1-4. Web.
Zender-Swiercz, Ewa et al. “Influence of Masks Protecting against SARS-CoV-2 on Thermal Comfort.” Energies, vol. 14, no. 1, 2021, pp. 1-11. Web.