Canada’s Public Health guidelines say healthy people don’t need to wear surgical masks, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States are considering this action.
What does the science say?
There’s an ongoing debate about whether healthy people need to wear surgical masks. According to the World Health Organization, healthy people only need to wear a mask if they’re caring for a person with suspected infection. This is similar to Canada’s Public Health guidelines.
The CDC in the United States is considering reviewing its policy and may advise healthy people to wear surgical masks. This is based on the fact that there are people who may not have any symptoms, but can transmit the virus.
The thinking is that the carriers without symptoms will not be able to spread the virus if they’re wearing a mask. This would mean everyone wearing a mask would protect one another and reduce overall community transmission.
However, Butt cautioned that these recommendations need careful consideration because they could worsen shortages of N95 and other medical or surgical masks for health care workers, who need them most.
What does the science say when it comes to wearing a cloth mask if you are not showing symptoms?
Cloth masks can be worn if it is not possible to practice physical distancing of two metres. For example, while on public transit or in places such as grocery stores where it is not possible to maintain this distance.
Cloth masks are now the current recommendation of both the CDC and of Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer.
These masks can act as a barrier to prevent a person from spreading droplets to others, especially if the wearer exhibits no symptoms. However, cloth masks are not as effective as surgical or N95 masks and do not provide any protection from the virus for the person who is wearing them.
Also, wearing cloth masks are not a replacement for other preventive measures, such as frequent handwashing and physical distancing.
How many times can a mask be worn by an individual before it needs to be replaced?
Face masks are not meant to be used more than once. If a mask is damaged or soiled, or if breathing through it becomes difficult, the face mask should be removed and discarded.
N95 masks are also single use. It should also be discarded when it becomes damaged or deformed, no longer forms an effective seal to the face, becomes wet or visibly dirty, if breathing becomes difficult, or if it becomes contaminated with blood, respiratory or nasal secretions, or other bodily fluids.
Twitter: @WeidnerRecord
Twitter: @WeidnerRecord
