I am one of many retired RNs living in Sun City West, and like Joe Vogel, respiratory therapist of 25 years (“People do not want to catch COVID-19,” Sun City West Independent, July 8, 2020) and the rest of my colleagues, we cringe when we are out in public and still see people not wearing a mask.
Some of the reasons convey a lack of understanding.
For those of you that believe face masks may not be helpful, there is truth to that statement only if you do not wear one, do not wear one correctly, do not wear one in the appropriate setting or do not include social distancing. COVID-19 is spread through respiratory droplets from an infected individual. These droplets can travel at least six feet (further actually) when the individual sneezes, coughs, laughs, sings, talks vigorously using words like “who.”
As medical professionals, we pay attention to the science, not rumors. The science is these COVID-19 droplets can enter through your eyes, your nose, your mouth and/or be transferred to one of these openings via droplets from your contaminated hands, thus the importance of hand washing as well. Do we know for certain who has the virus and who does not when we venture out? No. I hope this information fosters understanding and the reason for all to wear a face mask when out, that and the fact that Maricopa County has mandated this.
The most efficient masks are the N95, water repellent, block a degree of airborne particles, snug fit. The ones with a one-way valve allow the wearers exhaled droplets to pass through and out. Next are the surgical masks, also water repellent, block a degree of airborne particles, but not the snug fit. Then the variety of cloth masks, the tighter the weave the better, 2-3 layers best. Your mask should fit snuggly across the bridge of your nose, snuggly under your chin, and should not have any gaps at the sides on your cheeks. You should have space to breathe freely inside your mask. Masks should be worn as a precaution for what might happen when outside our homes.
More food for thought, our hospitals and staff have become saturated and stressed. If they go down, we all go down. So ask yourselves if you want to be another statistic of COVID-19 and/or cause someone else to become another statistic. There are COVID-19 masks for asthmatics and claustrophobics that can be found online. A loose bandana will help protect you and others as long as you are keeping your social distance from others, at least six feet.
