Over the past few days, the postcard has become even more apparent after the well-known “Wuhan pneumonia” emerged in China, a coronavirus that has affected more than a thousand people and caused more than 10000 deaths.
Wearing Best Air Purifers to prevent infections is popular in many countries around the world, especially in the Asian giant, where they are also used to protect themselves from high levels of contamination.
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However, virologists are skeptical about its real effectiveness against viruses in the air.
This, despite the fact that there is some evidence to suggest that masks can help prevent mouth-to-mouth transmission.
Surgical masks were first introduced in hospitals at the end of the 18th century , but did not become public use until the outbreak of the Spanish flu in 1919, which killed more than 50 million people.
David Carrington, a physician at St George’s Hospital in London, told BBC News that “surgical masks for the public are not effective protection against airborne viruses or bacteria.”
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The specialist explained that this is because they are objects too “loose, without air filters and that leaves the eyes exposed.”
However, Carrington added that they could help reduce the risk of contracting a virus through the “splatter” of a sneeze or cough, and provide some protection against word-of-mouth transmission.
A study published in 2016 in New South Wales suggested that people touched their faces about 23 times an hour.
Jonathan Ball, professor of molecular virology at the University of Nottingham, said that in a hospital, and within a well-controlled treatment, “the mask can be as good at preventing infection as a custom-made respirator.”
Respirators, which have a specialized air filter, are specifically designed to protect a person from potentially dangerous particles in the air.
Hygiene measures
For his part, Dr. Connor Bamford of the Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine said that “implementing simple hygiene measures ” has been “much more effective.”
According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) , to prevent the spread of this new Chinese coronavirus, close contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infections should be avoided.
In addition, people should wash their hands frequently, especially after direct contact with sick people or their surroundings, and avoid unprotected contact with farm or wild animals.
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Jake Dunning, Head of Emerging Infections at England Public Health, noted that “although there is a perception that the use of facemasks may be beneficial, there is very little evidence of a widespread benefit of their use outside the clinical setting.”
Additionally, Dunning suggested that in order for them to work properly, masks should be changed frequently and disposed of safely .
