U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention doesn’t recommend face masks as a way to avoid flu.
“The reason is that CDC requires scientific evidence to show that any intervention they recommend is likely to have value. It turns out that evidence for using masks in the community is scanty at best,” he said.
Also, masks have different uses. Schaffner said a flimsy painter’s mask prevents paint from getting in your mouth or nose, but won’t stop a virus.
Then there are surgical masks. These are designed to keep fluids or germs from the doctor from contaminating the sterile field in the operating room. But viruses can still pass through it to the wearer, Schaffner said.
When doctors are treating patients who have a communicable disease, they wear a type of mask called an N95 respirator. Because this mask is sealed around the mouth and nose, it will block a virus. But using it requires special training, and it makes breathing harder and is uncomfortable to wear, Schaffner said.
So what can you do to guard against the coronavirus? Schaffner said the best precaution to follow is the same as