Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) – Wearing safety masks is no longer mandatory in many parts of the United States, but it may be too soon to drop them now.
And the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week unveiled its guidelines for masks, noting that they vary depending on the size of the community’s “Govt-19” outbreak. If you live in a “risk-free” or “moderate-risk” area, you do not always need to use a mask, but if you live in a “high-risk” area, depending on the infection, it is recommended. Wear often.
Levels vary depending on various factors such as the number of new Govt cases registered and the number of hospital admissions.
Dr. Liana Vine, CNN-certified medical researcher, recommends that people be aware of the risk level in the regions and states they wish to visit.
“As with the weather forecast, I recommend people to look at the numbers without missing a beat because they may change,” he said.
Dr. John Uhuru, an epidemiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, USA, said that some people prefer to wear safety masks regardless of the authenticity of the area where you live.
He pointed out that some unvaccinated individuals suffering from immunodeficiency may feel more comfortable wearing protective masks.
He added, “Like me and my two children under the age of five, there are people in their family who have not been vaccinated.”
Christopher Solmondier, director of the Johns Hopkins BioContainment Unit program at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, USA, said others may want to wear a mask when going to outdoor areas such as the grocery store.
“From an infection control standpoint, the mask should be one of your basic tools,” he said.
The instructions on the mask may change over time, so if the reality changes, it is a good idea to have a set of protective masks on hand, Solmonte explained.
How to store protective masks?
If you decide to keep the masks, Solomonde advises keeping them in a dry place. “Personally I use a paper bag without a lid because changing the air is important,” he said.
Another way to store it, according to Uhuru, is to use a plastic box with holes.
For masks made of cloth, he said, care should be taken to wash them well just like any other clothing.
Solmond suggested that if you retire from wearing masks, you should check the expiration date of the one-time use masks before wearing them again. He pointed out that usually the expiration date is written on the outside of the box.
He pointed out, “This does not mean that the mask is no longer protective, but that the integrity of the mask is not as good as before.”
This applies to fabric masks, so if you notice that they are damaged, it may be time to replace them.
If you notice some disposable masks approaching the expiration date, Solmond recommends wearing them first, so you should not throw them away later.
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