Everywhere you look around here, people are using masks. Yesterday in Walmart, I saw a mom strongly “reminding” her teenage son to keep his mask on. We wore them on the airplane to and from vacation this week, too.
So, the question everyone is asking is, “Does wearing a mask work to help me avoid swine flu?” It depends on who you ask. According to this AP article, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there is not a lot of evidence that masks do much good, and have pointedly not recommended their use by the general public. Swine flu is thought to be transmitted in much the same way as seasonal flu, by touching something with the virus and then passing it to the nose or mouth or through coughing or sneezing.
If nothing else, it helps us avoid putting our hands to our face and in our mouth, which we KNOW helps fight the spread of swine flu.
I’m not sure if wearing it in your car while you drive (especially alone) is going to do anything. Nevertheless, in Mexico, it’s common now to see tons of people wearing the masks. In fact, there aren’t any at our local Walmart. They have sold out. Everyone is using them. It’s the newest fashion statement here in Mexico City.
(Via: Pura Vida)
I have to admit, I disagree with you here:
it helps us avoid putting our hands to our face and in our mouth
First,you’re putting a germ-collector around your neck, unless you’re changing it regularly (are people? I doubt it – all the stores are sold out around here!).
Second, I’ve seen people wearing these things. They’re adjusting them, fixing them, moving them, taking them off, putting them on. If this flu is transmitted mostly by touch, these things are making people touch their faces more.
If you’re temporarily in a very close contact situation, and you have a fresh, clean one, and you’re not touching it – maybe. Otherwise, I’m a sceptic.
i mean it helps me be conscious of the fact that I should keep my hands away from my face. (at least the Poulette family).
I do not put my hands in my mouth because it is covered.
I agree that most people are fooling with them all the time. Plus the fact that you can’t get a clean one is crazy. We used them on the plane but bow those are dirty. Anyway, the debate will go on.