Boston doctor asks Biden administration to move forward with better masks

Boston doctor asks Biden administration to move forward with better masks

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Dr. Abraar Karan continues with his calls for high quality masks to be made widely available to the public for better protection against COVID-19.

Karan, a doctor at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, has been pushing for a high filtration mask program in the United States, which would see the distribution of medical masks like N95s to families across the country. The doctor says more efficient masks they are an important means of preventing the spread of COVID-19, particularly when a more infectious variant of the virus becomes prevalent.

On Wednesday, Karan addressed his message to newly installed President Joe Biden and his government.

“We are counting on you – I am very hopeful that this government will do that,” wrote Karan on Twitter. “Take it #BetterMasks for this country. We will benefit against #Covid-19; against other respiratory pathogens such as seasonal flu; against bioterror threats. “

The doctor pointed to European countries that are switching to more effective masks, citing the rise in infections from the B117 strain, which was first detected in the UK and is believed to spread more easily. Germany on Tuesday made it mandatory for people traveling on public transport or other public places, wear medical-style masks, such as N95s or surgical masks.

For months, health officials have stressed the importance of wearing masks in preventing the spread of COVID-19.

On Tuesday, the researchers shared the results of a survey on the impact of mask wearing behavior on more than 300,000 Americans, publishing the study in “The Lancet. “

John Brownstein, an infectious disease epidemiologist and director of innovation at Boston Children’s Hospital and one of the study’s authors, wrote that he and his colleagues found that a 10 percent increase in self-reported mask use in a community was associated with three times better chances of reducing the rate of transmission of the virus.

“Mask mandates alone were not enough to increase mask use,” wrote Brownstein on Twitter. “Wearing a mask with layers of social distance made it more likely to control transmission.”

Karan praised the new research for its importance in illustration that “masks work”.

A mask makes the individual a “dead end” for the virus, especially if it is a mask with “excellent protection,” wrote Karan.

Medical-grade masks, particularly those that provide greater filtration and better fit, are “undeniably necessary,” said the doctor. said.

“If you have [the virus], you are much less likely to pass it on; if you’re around, you’re much less likely to succeed, ”he said. “And as we eventually adjust our vaccines in the future to adapt to new variants and strains, our protective measures will continue to be masks. We need to make sure we get the best we can. This is our health. There should be no compromises here! “

In the hours after his inauguration, Biden took a number of immediate actions to address the COVID-19 pandemic, including the requirement to wear masks and social distance on federal property. On Thursday, the president expected to sign a mask order that would apply to airports, airplanes, ships, intercity buses, trains and public transport.

Associated Press information was used in this report.

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