Face Masks

Wearing face masks has never been a crucial requirement for everyone until the pandemic. Protecting yourself and those around you is a necessary gesture especially now that the virus is still around. However, you can always make the most of this protective item by selecting a few that match your fashion sense and lifestyle. Nowadays, you can find brands like Stance that produce stylish face masks made of smooth, comfy materials in multiple plies to ensure comfort and protection. You can either wear one as is, or over a medical type mask if you are often outdoors.

Face Masks for Protection

The primary goal of wearing face masks is to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Numerous studies have been conducted on the suitability of various face coverings worn by people who have no signs of illness or symptoms to reduce possible asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic transmission of the virus from the mask-wearer to other individuals.

In reality, face masks are just a part of an overall strategy to suppress virus transmission. While outdoors and within establishments, wearing face mask and social distancing are among the best practices to help reduce the spread. Washing your hands (with soap) right away and even taking a bath once you get home will further help in preventing or reducing the spread of the virus to your loved ones.

Reasons for Wearing a Face Mask

It provides protection to you and other people – The transmission of respiratory droplets when one sneezes, talks or coughs is the primary mode the virus spreads from one individual to another. A face mask act as a barrier and blocks the droplets by reducing the dispersal and the distance they travel into the air.

Wearing a face mask that covers the mouth and nose, whether a cloth type or a medical/surgical one, has increased benefits if done in a collective way. It is not just an effort of a few people, but of everyone to ensure lower risks of virus transmission and infection within a community.

You might be contagious without realising it – There are people who may be carriers of the coronavirus without knowing it. These are either asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic occurrences in which the infected person may not encounter any symptom or the symptom develops at a later time. As a way to help curb the spread of the virus, wearing face masks even if you think you are perfectly healthy is recommended by the WHO.

It can help alleviate an ailing economy – The lockdowns have tremendously impacted the economy and the recent spikes in cases have caused various cities and communities to delay re-opening plans. Some cities have resorted to lockdowns once again to prevent further spread of the virus. A report by Goldman Sachs, an investment firm in the USA, found that the national mandate for wearing face masks could serve as an alternative for lockdowns that can potentially deduct almost 5% from the country’s GDP.

It is a simple, cheap and effortless humanitarian gesture – There is only minimum effort when you wear a face mask especially when going out and going inside community buildings and establishments. Everyone is a potential carrier of the virus, so if everyone wears a face mask and practice all the preventative measures, catching and spreading the virus are much lower. It is definitely a collective effort, but quite beneficial for everyone in the community.

Clearly, wearing face masks is not a single solution to fully eliminate the spread of the coronavirus. Nevertheless, it provides protection and benefits to you and those around you. So, whether you prefer a basic face mask or a stylish one, remember you are protecting yourself, your family and your community from the risk of getting infected.