The spread of respiratory droplets is the main route of transmission of the new coronavirus. Now that the epidemic has not been alleviated, mask protection should be done when going out to resist the virus. Although people know the importance of wearing masks, there are still certain misunderstandings in the use of masks, leading to incorrect use. So what are the main mistakes in using masks? How to avoid it?

 

What are the misunderstandings of using masks and how to avoid them?

 

Myth 1: Masks can work if you wear them casually

 

Some people always think that as long as you wear a mask, no matter how you wear it, you will have no problem defending against viruses. But this kind of thinking is wrong. The mask has a correct and standard way of wearing. If it is not worn as required, the virus can enter at any time.

 

Disposable medical surgical masks, N95, KN90 are common on the market now. Before wearing a disposable medical surgery, the front and back of the mask should be distinguished. Use both hands to press the metal strips on both sides of the bridge of the nose to make it close to the bridge of the nose, and then pull down the mask to cover the chin and nose. The N95 and KN90 are worn in the same way as medical surgical masks.

 

Myth 2: As long as it is a mask, it will work

 

Not all masks are anti-virus. At present, there are many kinds of masks on the market, such as paper masks, activated carbon masks, cotton masks, and sponge masks. Because their materials are not dense enough, the prevention effect is relatively poor. At present, masks that can play an anti-virus role on the market mainly include disposable medical surgical masks, KN90, KN95, and N95, and the anti-virus capability gradually increases from left to right.

 

Myth 3: The mask does not need to be replaced and can be worn all the time

 

Masks are time-sensitive. Masks that exceed the effective time cannot be worn and need to be replaced in time. The effective use time of disposable medical masks is generally 4 hours, while the effective period of 3M KN90, KN95, N95 is generally 24-48 hours. Therefore, if the mask is used for longer than its timeliness, it should not be worn to prevent contamination.

 

Myth  4: No need to wash your hands when wearing masks or removing masks

 

Whether wearing a mask or removing a mask, you should clean your hands carefully. If you do not wash your hands before wearing a mask, it may contaminate the mask and increase the chance of infection. Therefore, you should strictly clean your hands before wearing the mask, and dry your hands before wearing the mask.

 

It is also necessary to clean your hands after removing the mask, because during the process of removing the mask, you may touch the outside of the mask and contaminate your hands. It is safer to clean your hands in time after removing the mask. In the current epidemic situation, the correct use of protective measures should be implemented in order to protect themselves and protect everyone.