How to wear a protective mask in the heat: medical recommendations
'12.06.2020'
Source: New Time
The coronavirus pandemic continues, but wearing a medical mask is becoming increasingly difficult due to the summer heat. Experts said whether to wear a mask and how to do it, writes "New Time".
Although you may be tempted to give up the mask before fall, professor of epidemiology at the University of California at Los Angeles, director of the University Center for Global Health and Immigrant Health Anne Remoin, asks to refrain from this action.
“It is important to wear a mask and maintain social distance,” she said, referring to a study in May 2020, which showed that both protective measures are most effective in preventing the transmission of coronavirus.
“If you are suffocating under a mask, it is probably because it traps the heat inside. The key issue is that when we breathe, we cool down, so wearing a mask that heats up very quickly can lead to elevated temperatures in extreme heat, especially if it is humid, ”says Dr. Richard Wenzel, professor of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Commonwealth University of Virginia Medical School.
The professor advises you to remove the mask if you feel that it is difficult for you to breathe, but at the same time try to keep your distance - step into the shade and drink water. If your heart is pounding and dizzy, consult a doctor, as these are signs of heat stroke.
Experts also called several rules for wearing a mask in the heat in a coronavirus.
1. Avoid heat if possible
“If your trip to the street can wait, postpone things until it gets cooler on the street,” says Remoin.
In conditions of extreme heat and humidity, breathing through the mask will be difficult. Remoin offers to go on business in the morning or in the evening when the heat subsides.
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2. Pick up breathable mask material
Often breathing problems can be associated with the material the mask is made of.
“How free you can breathe through the material is just as important as its ability to stop the spread of disease,” remarks Remoin.
According to her, the ideal fabric facial mask should fit snugly on your face, and you should be able to wash and dry it without damaging its shape. Many people prefer cotton masks because of their lightness.
3. Make sure you put on the mask correctly
If you have trouble breathing through the mask, make sure you wear it correctly. The mask should cover the nose and mouth and fit snugly on the sides of the face, but at the same time remain free inside so that breathing is not difficult.
4. Carry a spare mask with you.
A wet mask can stick to your face and interfere with breathing. If you feel that you are sweating under a mask, change it to a spare one.
Wenzel notes that a spare mask can be worn in a zip-lock plastic bag to keep it clean.
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5. Wear a mask when necessary
The risk of coronavirus usually decreases in the open, where the wind disperses the virus, and you can keep distance with other people.
Pools and beaches, as a rule, are also safe, since it is believed that water does not contain a virus. Just keep your distance from other people in and out of the water.
Wearing a mask in water is impractical, but you should still wear it when you get out of the water, especially if you cannot reach the required distance between you and other people.
