Corona virus (COVID-19) and shortage of face mask, do not buy all the masks from the market and pile up at your home and make shortage when you are still healthy, because it is needed more to the one who are infected. Face mask seems to be the 1st thing that comes into our mind when we think about prevention from Coronavirus or any infection that cause from air, aerosol or droplets. Wearing face mask works a little and also depends upon which mask you use. But, wearing a facemask is certainly not a guarantee that you won’t get sick in the case of COVID-19 and many other viruses, they can also transmit through eyes and tiny viral particles known as aerosols, can penetrate masks. But again, masks are effective at capturing droplets, which is the main route of coronavirus transmission. Some studies have also estimated a roughly fivefold protection versus no barrier alone. If you are likely to be in close contact with someone infected, a mask cuts the chance of the disease being passed on.
According to WHO below are the given points about when to use the mask :
- If you are healthy, you only need to wear a mask if you are taking care of a person with the suspected 2019-nCoV infection.
- Wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing.
- Masks are effective only when used in combination with frequent hand-cleaning with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
- If you wear a mask, then you must know how to use it and dispose of it properly.
Healthcare workers rely on personal protective equipment to protect themselves and their patients from being infected and infecting others.
Based on WHO modeling, an estimated 89 million medical masks are required for the COVID-19 response each month. For examination gloves, that figure goes up to 76 million, while international demand for goggles
Since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, prices have surged. Surgical masks have seen a sixfold increase, N95 respirators have trebled and gowns have doubled. But shortages are leaving doctors, nurses and other frontline workers dangerously ill-equipped to care for COVID-19 patients, due to limited access to supplies such as gloves, medical masks, respirators, goggles, face shields, gowns, and aprons.
WHO calls on industry and governments to increase manufacturing by 40 percent to meet rising global demand
Thre are much news regarding mask shortages around the world In one article by Livescience and The New York Times they have discussed US hospitals already starting to run out of respirator masks crucial for coronavirus protection..
Similarly, there was news from The guardian that says global calls mount to stop panic buying of face masks.
In one article about the price rise in N95 masks in India by Economic Times says that masks which used to be sold at Rs 10 (approx$ 0.14) was hiked to Rs 40-50(approx$0.61) and N95 masks which were sold arounf Rs150 (approx. 2.0$) were being sold up to Rs500 (. 6.75$)
Know more about the causes, preventive measures about coronavirus
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