Masks as the first line of Defense!!

We all were confined to our houses when the lock down started. But two things kept us busy. It was either cooking or making a new mask. 

I am sure many of your family members must have attempted to make masks at one point in time. Many made it out of boredom, but many made it out of necessity. 

But now that we are out of the lock down, I see a pattern. Many are still skeptical of wearing a mask. I see that we are a divided bunch. Half of the people don't want to wear a mask. The other half does. I can't believe that not wearing a mask is still a debate. If we're going to save ourselves from the virus, everyone needs to wear a mask. Let me tell you why.

More than 2 lakh cases were found in India alone. But a mask can help. Even though the most effective way to protect ourselves is social distancing, a cover acts as the first line of defense when you need to go out in public. 

Tiny particles don't just move in a straight path. They move in any direction. Due to this —the masks catch more than you would imagine in both directions. They protect and prevent much of the viral particles in droplets from dispersing into the ambient air. Infected individuals can shed the virus for three to 10 days before showing symptoms — if they show signs at all. 

So, not wearing a mask because you feel well can still pose a danger to others. Imagine someone sneezes at the grocery store. The droplets expelled can stay in the air from 30 minutes to hours. This is because airborne droplets evaporate, and the smaller particles left behind remain suspended. Well, that's one risk I don't want to take.

N95 masks are the gold standard for catching tiny particles but should be reserved for COVID-19 health care workers. So, Herckes, an American scientist, began testing different materials he found at home to see what would be useful for public use. Even with one-layer cotton mask, the test results showed the masks captured larger droplets pretty efficiently.

I guess the moral of this story is that using masks in all public settings will make us safer.