In the conditions of the coronavirus pandemic, the need to carry masks in public places almost as a year has become our daily reality. However, in Germany, this week discussed the possibility of tightening these measures: the country's authorities considered the opportunity to oblige all to wear only respirators. However, as a result, we were allowed to wear and masks. But only medical, and not tissue, very, which, by the way, are very popular in Russia. Is it possible to regulate what kind of masks wearing people to prevent the spread of the virus, decided to find out the Moscow Komsomolets, talking on this topic with the infectious doctor of Ilya Akinfeev.
"To reduce the level of morbidity in public places - no need. If we talk about individual defense, this is the case of every person. When we write recommendations, for example, for passengers of public transport, it is a little about a friend. We are worried about group protection. Any mask in this case is an opportunity to make the infected person not infected others, "the expert told.
According to Akinfeev, the respirators are also not always a panacea: "The main minus of the respirator is that if he is on an infected person, the exhalation will be carried out by" contagious "breathing and the surrounding will be in danger. Although everything is fine: it is in the respirator. "
"As for masks, it is necessary to understand: there are dense surgical, for operational, in which up to 7 layers of protection. They can be bought in a specialized store or in a pharmacy. Those masks that we buy in stores at the metro ticket office and so on usually contain 3 layers of protection. This is also effective, but to a lesser extent. As for the tissue masks, the level of protection there is even lower - not 100%. However, they still act as a filter, thereby protecting a person if someone sneezed or cough. Also, the fabric mask can protect others if an infected person is wearing, "says Akinfeev.
"However, if we are talking about finding in a medium where a large concentration of the virus (for example, CT centers), will protect you only with a high-class respirator - a fabric mask and three-layer medical will be useless," the doctor concluded.