Masks vs. the coronavirus – fear sows confusion

Judging from the pictures of mask-donning people in Beijing, Tokyo, Milan – and now here in the Pacific Northwest – we should all be buying face masks to protect ourselves against the new coronavirus. In recent weeks, they’ve become a symbol of the epidemic’s spread around the globe.

But it’s a symbol that largely belies the scientific consensus.

“Seriously people – STOP BUYING MASKS!” U.S. Surgeon General Jerome M. Adams said in a tweet Saturday.

Common masks being worn by the public won’t prevent COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. In fact, Adams and both the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are urging healthy people to stop using them as a means of protection.

“They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus,” Adams tweeted, “but if health care providers can’t get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk!”

Experts in the region echo the concerns.

“There’s a growing misconception among the public that masks are effective, when, in fact, what they offer is an unfounded sense of protection,” said Dr. Dawn DeWitt, an internal medicine physician and associate dean of clinical education at Washington State University’s Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine.

“A surgical mask won’t protect you against the virus. If you’re healthy, there’s no reason to wear one,” she explained, adding that most of the masks being worn in public aren’t designed to block out tiny viral droplets. Not only do they not fully seal off a person’s nose and mouth, but the material’s pores are too large.

COVID-19 spreads from person to person in close proximity, similar to other respiratory illnesses. When an infected person sneezes or coughs, droplets of their bodily fluids – mainly saliva and mucous – get dispersed in the air or on surfaces by sneezing or coughing, DeWitt said.

An unmasked person infected with COVID-19 could infect a healthy masked person located within 6 feet.

“Tiny virus-laden droplets could get inside the mask and be inhaled,” she said.

That’s why, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration warns on its website, surgical masks aren’t meant for respiratory infection control.

Instead, they’re intended to be worn by sick people to limit the spread of secretions if they sneeze or cough.

“Patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 should wear a face mask until they are isolated in a hospital or at home,” according to the CDC website.

Surgical masks are also used by health care and dental workers to block the spray of large droplets of blood or bodily fluids.

“The masks have several purposes, but protecting people from coronavirus isn’t one of them,” DeWitt said. “Although wearing masks might make people feel better psychologically, at the same time, they’re providing a false sense of security.”

Adding to the confusion is the fact not all masks are created equal. Besides the surgical mask, there’s a specialized type called a N95 respirator that’s designed to fit securely and filter 95% of infectious particles. Even though the CDC recommends these heavy-duty masks only be worn by health care workers trained to properly use them, lay people are purchasing the devices to protect them against COVID-19. Though not as commonly worn as surgical masks, a significant upswing in sales by consumers is leading to shortages.

This is problematic, because health workers need them to care for infected patients, said Jamie Nixon with the Washington State Department of Health.

“Our health care system is starting to experience shortages in PPE (personal protective equipment), so it is important the public help conserve masks for healthcare providers,” she said.

With more COVID-19 cases being confirmed each day, including here in Washington state, how can people best protect themselves?

Keep calm and carry on, DeWitt advises. What’s more, wash your hands. It may sound old-fashioned, but it works.

“The best way to prevent transmission of the novel coronavirus is to thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water – and often,” she said. Alcohol-based sanitizers are also helpful, especially when traveling, she added.

“Many studies show hand-washing can prevent life-threatening diseases,” she said.

The CDC offers tips on hand-washing and other preventive measures online at cdc.gov.