Living in the 'new normal' era now does require us to pay more attention to the health of ourselves and others around us. Many things must be changed, and we have to get used to maintaining our cleanliness by frequently washing hands to use a mask when going outside. The 'new habits' have to be done to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Speaking of masks, in the midst of the current pandemic, masks are indeed needed by many people. No wonder if it becomes hard to find in the market. Many people have also turned to cloth masks, which are considered cheaper and quite effective in reducing the risk of virus infection. In the previous article, we told you that cloth masks made from cotton, chiffon, and silk had the same ability as N95 masks worn by medical personnel. Cloth masks are known to have a filtration ability of up to 80-99%.

As we all know, aerosol transmission through the air is the dominant route for COVID-19 spread. The use of masks is known to be an important key in suppressing its spread. In the results of a recent study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, masks are not only useful to prevent the transmission of viruses when coughing, but also can reduce the risk of inhalation of infected aerosol particles that hang in the air. The experts found that the use of masks can reduce infection rates to more than 78,000 in Italy and 66,000 in New York City in less than one month.

In their study, the researchers also made comparisons with the results obtained in China. China is known for its high level of air pollution. The people there have also practiced the culture of wearing masks. No wonder they can suppress the number of COVID-19 cases with the 'habits' they are used to. In contrast to China, the people in Italy and New York City are not familiar with the use of masks. The low air pollution in their country is the main reason why they rarely use masks before the pandemic. However, in the midst of a pandemic like today, the entire world community has been urged to make the use of masks a 'new habit' to help curb the spread of COVID-19.

Text by Anggie Triana
Stock photos from Pixabay

Source(s):

• Renyi, Z., Yixin, L., Annie, Z.L., et al (2020). Identifying airborne transmission as the dominant route for the spread of COVID-19. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, DOI: 0.1073 / pnas.2009637117
• Science Daily - Face Masks critical in preventing spread of COVID-19 (2020). https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/06/200612172200.htm, 15 June 2020.