At this point, hopefully most of us are wearing masks to protect not just other people, but ourselves as well. COVID-19 has now claimed the lives of over 240,000 in the U.S., while also infecting well over 10.5 million people. The benefits in wearing masks is more significant when all of us are wearing them correctly and on a consistent basis. As a result, we could see fewer to no more lockdowns.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been stating, since April, that cloth face masks have been proven to help reduce the number of infectious particles inhaled. In that case, adhering to mask protocols and investing as little as $10 in a cloth mask is a no-brainer.
High Thread Count Masks are Your Best Choice
The CDC claims that your best bet for a mask is a tightly woven, 100% cotton mask. If you can see the individual fibers when holding a mask to the light, then it is probably an ineffective one. The key here is wearing one with layers, as many as possible, but one that does not sacrifice the ability to breathe, which two- and three-layer masks can offer. In fact, the CDC claims that higher thread counts have demonstrated ideal performance versus single layer cloth masks with lower thread counts. The multilayer cloth masks are also blocking between 50-80% of droplets and particles, while limiting the spread of the ones not captured as well.
Polypropylene, the most-commonly used plastic in the world, has also been hailed as a mask enhancement because of its ability to capture via its static cling. The plastic can be placed in a comfortable fabric or silk mask that is two- or three-ply.
Mask Etiquette and Best Practices
Unfortunately, even the most advanced masks will fail if not worn properly. Full-face coverage is important, especially in covering the nose. Droplets from our nostrils are, on average, smaller than the ones generated from our mouths, but both can spread germs over the range of 20-27 feet, whether via a sneeze or a cough.
If you are having trouble breathing in your mask, find one that better fits your face, because in order for us to work together in conquering the pandemic, we need to wear our masks from door-to-door. That said, it is important for us to always have a portable hand sanitizer dispenser readily available as well.
At MedPro International, we have placed numerous respiratory professionals and therapists, whether at standalone healthcare facilities, multi-hospital institutions or COVID-19 testing sites all over the country, as well as assigned thousands of registered nurses who are all combatting the virus and saving lives.
Ready to Make a Difference in Patient’s Lives? Advance Your Healthcare Career at MedPro
Are you ready to fulfill your ‘American Dream’ as a registered nurse, therapist or medical technologist in America? At MedPro International, we have staffed more foreign-educated nurses in the U.S. healthcare industry than any other company. APPLY today or call us at 1 (800) 866-8108.
