General Awareness Regarding Face Masks to Combat Covid-19: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

The pandemic, coronavirus disease (COVID-19) due to SARS-COV-2 also called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, is directly related to bat SARS. Higher risk of spread can be caused due to prolonged exposure to a carrier person and shorter contacts with symptomatic individuals as briefer contacts with asymptomatic contacts are less inclined to transmission. The transmission can be either presymptomatic or asymptomatic. Wearing a face mask is becoming a requisite, in hospitals as well as community settings in this context as it can reduce the SARS Co-2 transmission rates. Masks has to be worn regularly and correctly to keep away from getting the virus. China recommended everyone to wear face masks and cloth masks to the ones less likely to spread or contract the infection when the current pandemic Covid-19 got outbursted. During this pandemic, when countries are facing shortage of resources, it is necessary to adopt and implement policies to ensure the balance of demand and supply to reduce the infection transmission rates. The irrational usage of surgical and the FFP masks by the general public has resulted into a shortage of their supply for the health care workers who need them the most, across the world. Awareness should be created among the public about the necessity of using face masks, selection of the mask, rational use in accordance with the situation, proper discarding of disposable masks, and other control measures that has to be kept in mind to prevent virus transmission. Face shields (Personal protective equipment-PPE) which are used by the healthcare providers in combination with face masks or respirators for eye protection, helps reduce transmission of the virus through respiratory droplets through the mucous membrane of the eyes offering a partial protection to the facial area.