MASK ETIQUETTE.
So much craziness in the last few days, I don’t know where to start 🤯. I decided not to bother because the craziness will sort itself out one way or another. In the meantime, I wanted to re-emphasize the importance of masks.
It seems that, short of contracting this disease and suffering complications, or having had to take care of someone with significant symptoms, or knowing someone who has died from this virus, people seem to be in denial about it’s potential severity or even existence. I posted the other day about late complications even in relatively mild cases including both lung and heart damage. More reasons to do whatever you can not to get sick, regardless of how young or healthy you are.
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH OUR LEADERS AND OUR CITIZENS?
I know that advice from doctors and scientists has been conflicting and has changed over the last few months, but we are still learning about this virus and the disease it causes. Back in the 40’s and 50’s, doctors used to actually prescribe cigarettes to people thinking it would help clear their lungs! They also used to prescribe heroin and cocaine as medicinals. We also used to perform bloodletting. So does that mean that today, we should use those antiquated recommendations as justification to continue to smoke and take drugs? Obviously no.
As Maya Angelou said, “Do the best you can until you know better. When you know better, do better”. Now, we know better, regardless of the crazies out there spewing insanity about aliens, demon semen, hydroxychloroquine as a miracle cure and how masks are not necessary.
Wearing masks is SUCH an important issue and the science is so clear and definitive about their value. It is depressing for me to see what is going on out there. I wear one ALL day long. I get it. They are not comfortable. But again, masks clearly work to lower the risk of contracting Covid-19 and, more importantly, spreading Covid-19. Whether a bandana or a surgical mask, they are all beneficial, assuming you wear it correctly and remove and adjust it correctly.
COVER YOUR NOSE!
You MUST cover your nose. The bug is contracted through the nose so if the mask is below your nose, you will breathe it in. The bug replicates in the nose, so when you exhale through the nose, you exhale more viral particles. The likelihood of contracting Covid through mouth breathing is significantly less than through the nose.
As an FYI, on average, you have about 150,000 nasal hair follicles, 66% more than on your head! I’m a nose doctor and I didn’t even know that until recently! Studies show that those with more nasal hairs have lower asthma rates. Why? Better filtration with less inflammatory material making its way to the lungs. There is some variation with women having a bit more hair than men. Blonds have about 150k, redheads about 90k and the average brunette about 100k. The point here is that one of the main functions of the nose is to act as a filter. Between the hair and the mucus which covers the hair and covers the lining of the nose, things you breathe in get trapped and are eventually swallowed.You make ⅓ – ½ of a gallon of nasal mucus alone every day! You swallow it all. In the stomach, gastric acids destroy whatever makes its way there. That’s why acid reducers Like Nexium or Prevacid increase the risk of getting infected almost 3x. With reduced acid, there is reduced microbial destruction. In addition, reduced acid results in reduced enzymatic activity and various nutritional deficiencies like zinc, which we know protects against covid. Recent studies also show that taking this class of acid reducers for more than 3 years increases the risks of heart attacks by 30%.
DON’T TOUCH THE FRONT OF THE MASK.
We saw it with the dummy Texas Congressman who kept fidgeting with his bandana and blamed the face covering on his contracting Covid. I am constantly seeing patients and people out and about adjusting their masks by grabbing the front and moving it up or down. Although this is the most efficient way of adjusting it, it is also the best way to contaminate your fingers and hands! Think about it. When you breathe in, any virus you may be exposed to is now on the front of your mask! Use the elastics or strings or just leave it alone. Try out different masks and find one which is most comfortable and protective at the same time. Having some kind of rigid nose piece helps keep it in place. If you do have to touch the front, wash your hands or use sanitizers right away but don’t touch your nose, mouth or face.
As far as masks with breathing valves are concerned, although they may decrease fogging and you may breathe a little easier with them, they allow much more unfiltered air out than non-valved masks. You may have great protection breathing in but you are not protecting everyone else from you. Valves help you but not anyone else.
Looking at the “model” countries like Germany and S. Korea, where things seemed to be under control, there are now new outbreaks as they ease up restrictions. This infection is not going anywhere anytime soon. We will get past this but there is no getting around it. The more we think about doing this together, and think less as individuals, the fewer people will die unnecessarily.
DISTANCE if you must go out.
WEAR A MASK and WEAR IT PROPERLY COVERING YOUR NOSE.
WASH YOUR HANDS.
DON’T TOUCH YOUR FACE, MOUTH or NOSE.
WORK ON YOUR HEALTH and LIFESTYLE.
A new addition to my mantra is:
GET THE FLU SHOT. It will be available in the next month or so and it is really important. Remember that the flu still kills. As many as 80,000 Americans a few years ago. The double whammy of flu and Covid this fall and winter might be grim.
Stay safe and be well.
AC 😎✌️🌱❤🐖🏃🏻🧘🏻♂️🌎😷