Eleven months after the start of the COVID-19 crisis, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new guidelines and findings on the use of a tight-fitting mask to help stem the spread of the coronavirus.
Officials from the Department of Public Health of Santa Barbara County last week reminded residents of the proper use of masks in the midst of the ongoing pandemic.
“When wearing a mask, remember to wear it correctly,” said county director of public health, Van Do-Reynoso, on Friday. “Use it when you’re indoors or around other people.”
Masks should be used in addition to standing at least 1.80 m away and washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, according to the CDC.
In California, children under the age of 2 are exempt from wearing facial covers when out and about, as are people with a “medical condition, mental health problem or disability that prevents the use of facial coverage,” Department of Public Health officials say. of State.
The use of a mask remains a critical tool to slow the spread of COVID-19, according to public health officials.
“Masks are extremely important and will not go away even with half the population vaccinated,” said Dr. Henning Ansorg, county public health officer, recently in an interview with Noozhawk managing editor Giana Magnoli.
“Schools are only safe when masks are worn and social distance is maintained as much as possible, and then they are very safe.”
Ansorg said the mask is perhaps the most important health tool in the fight.
The CDC presented several tips last week to improve the mask’s defense against coronavirus contagion and spread.
A sign placed outside Tino’s Italian Grocery, at 210 W. Carrillo St. Santa Barbara, warns shoppers that masks are required for entry. (Photo by Brooke Holland / Noozhawk)
“Masks work best when everyone wears them, but not all masks offer the same protection,” said the agency.
The CDC emphasized ensuring that a mask “fits perfectly” on the nose, mouth and chin. He suggests using a mask with a nasal wire or a metal strip along the top of the mask, as it prevents air from leaking through the top.
Another recommendation is to use a mask adjuster or support over a disposable or cloth mask to prevent air from leaking around the edges.
“If the mask fits well, you will feel warm air passing through the front of the mask and you will be able to see the mask material moving in and out with each breath,” said the CDC.
Public health officials have advised adding at least two layers of material to some masks, which prevents more respiratory droplets from entering or escaping a mask. Using a face mask on top of the other includes a disposable mask under a cloth mask or using a cloth mask with several layers of fabric, according to the CDC.
“Make sure you can see and breathe easily,” advised the CDC.
According to the CDC, two disposable masks should not be layered on top of each other and only one KN95 mask should be used at a time.
“Disposable masks are not designed to fit well and using more than one does not improve the fit,” said the CDC, adding that people should not apply a double mask to the KN95 mask with any other mask.
During the county’s weekly news conference on Friday, Ansorg talked about different mask options.
He said an N95 mask, also called an N95 respirator, is designed for healthcare professionals. It is fitted because the masks come in various sizes, he added.
In the first months of the crisis, N95 respirators and other personal protective equipment were missing, even in healthcare settings.
“At the beginning of the pandemic, we had to ask everyone to refrain from trying to buy them because there was an international shortage, which has now been resolved,” said Ansorg.
“These masks are now available for purchase, but be aware that they must fit very well over the nose with a good seal so that there are no air leaks to provide optimal protection for the person wearing them.”
Procedural masks, also called surgical masks, are usually bluish-white or white, have a metal strip over the nose for a better fit and generally do not slip like looser cloth masks.
“They were designed to protect my environment from users’ respiratory droplets,” said Ansorg. “For example, as a surgeon, you don’t want to contaminate the area of operation.”
He continued, gesturing to his own mask: “This is good for protecting my surroundings from my own respiratory droplets, however, the protection it gives me from other virus carriers depends on how tight this thing fits.”
People often put a cloth mask over a procedure mask to get a tighter fit.
“I leave that to you,” said Ansorg. “Sometimes it can be useful. Some people have managed to fold two of these masks and therefore obtain a tighter fit around the nose, cheeks and chin. “
The CDC recommended tying the straps of a medical procedure mask to make it look tighter on your face. Take your mask and fold it from end to end (in half), tie a knot in the two tabs of the mask and secure and smooth the extra fabric under the edges.
These steps improve mask filtration by up to 20 percent, said Emily Sickbert-Bennett, director of infection prevention at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill, NC, in a YouTube video explaining the recommendation.
(UNC Health Video)
The CDC urged people to wear masks whenever they are around other people.
Masks are now required for travelers on public transport, according to the CDC. According to the announcement, “people should wear masks that completely cover their mouth and nose while waiting, boarding, disembarking or traveling on airplanes, ships, ferries, trains, subways, buses, taxis and rides while traveling to, in or out of United States and US territories. ”
In California, wearing a mask is mandatory across the state, and people must wear a face shield or mask when they are away from home, with limited exceptions. Click here for more information.
According to the University of Washington Institute of Health Metrics and Assessments, surveys showed that about 75 percent of Californians always wore masks in public in August 2020, and that number increased to about 81 percent.
When asked by Noozhawk how to remove a used mask correctly, Ansorg replied, “It all depends on where you are.”
To remove a procedure mask, Ansorg held it only by the straps and stretched the straps.
“If you are at work or in a restaurant, I would recommend removing the mask without touching the actual area of the face because otherwise you contaminate your hands,” he said. “Or when you put it on the floor, you contaminate the surface.
“When you get in the car alone and take off your mask – it’s not such an important factor.”
He also emphasized the hygiene of the mask.
“We want to avoid touching the mask too much because some secretions, especially when you use it for an hour more at a time, will seep through the material and there will be a little bit of moisture on the outside potentially,” said Ansorg. “And it can be contagious.”
Cloth masks should be washed “frequently, at least once a day,” he said.
Click here for CDC’s mask guide.
– Brooke Holland, editor of the Noozhawk team, can be reached at . (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.