The President of the Spanish Association for Preventive Medicine, Public Health and Hygiene (Sempsph), Rafael Ortí, assures that the recommendation of this entity is that ‘you should never use the double mask’ to protect yourself against the coronavirus, a practice that has been seen through the streets and “it makes no sense.”
In statements to the EFE office, Ortí assures that each of the masks has its certification for its specific use and, for example, when the surgical mask is used, the function of which is to reduce the release of aerosols and droplets generated during speech, to limit. another one on top is absurd. ”
Ortí responded this way when asked about the use of a double mask chosen by the President of the United States, Joe Biden, advised by virologist Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases of the United States.
As he explains, the FFP2 mask is mainly used in the health sector and in areas where there is a risk of aerosol emission, airborne transmission, but it must be replaced at a certain frequency every time you enter a room with covid patients. enters.
“ It would be assumed that they would have to be thrown out continuously, ” he adds, adding that if he didn’t leave his area it would be technical enough to work with them, but there are professionals who have a surgical that they not having to throw it away every time they care for a patient, contributing to “a reduction in costs”.
“In general, Preventive Medicine’s recommendation is that you should never use a double mask” and when this occurs, the risk of excessive touching or improper use should be considered due to contact with the hands. also facilitates transfer.
According to Ortí, also head of preventive medicine and quality of care at the Hospital Clínico de València, “behind the mask, people often forget about hand hygiene and other aspects that could be worse.”
In his opinion, it “makes no sense” to go with a double mask on the street, and if you work in a place with poor ventilation “what needs to be corrected is that poor ventilation.”
In the case of the cloth mask, he explains that “yes, it works, it is a transmission barrier, but it filters very little, as if you were wearing a handkerchief. It does not give you the same guarantees because it does not have the same filtering capacity as another approved one. mask “.
According to a technical report from the Spanish Association for Preventive Medicine, Public Health and Hygiene, which contains a series of questions related to the use of masks in the health and community environment, the use of surgical masks, FFP2 and FFP3 is effective for the prevention of transfer in health care.
The report indicates that, according to previous studies, the use of a surgical mask prevents the transmission of infection between staff, patients and carers.
Regarding whether the constant use of cloth masks protects against SARS-CoV-2 infection, the report states that “apparently, yes,” indicating that those using them have a lower risk of contracting the virus and appear to be useful to those carriers of the infection (symptomatic or asymptomatic).
In the case of the health sector, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the use of a surgical mask in symptomatic cases and by workers in suspected or confirmed cases to protect against infection, and clearly discourages the use of cloth masks by workers.
In addition, it indicates that the European Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identifies the use of medical masks (surgical, FFP2 and FFP3) as a priority for health professionals.
As far as the general population is concerned, the use of non-medical masks in public areas can be considered as a control measure and to reduce the transmission of the infection.
Tejerina shell