Who should use a face mask during COVID-19 pandemic? An evidence-based review

There is a lot of confusion about who should use face mask during this serious COVID-19 pandemic. Irrational use of masks has caused serious shortage of mask availability for frontline health-care workers, who really require it. Therefore, the authors have carried out this comprehensive evidence-bas...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Suresh K Sharma, Ravi Kant
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publisher 2020-01-01
Series:Indian Journal of Respiratory Care
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.ijrconline.org/article.asp?issn=2277-9019;year=2020;volume=9;issue=2;spage=149;epage=152;aulast=Sharma
_version_ 1797694197715697664
author Suresh K Sharma
Ravi Kant
author_facet Suresh K Sharma
Ravi Kant
author_sort Suresh K Sharma
collection DOAJ
description There is a lot of confusion about who should use face mask during this serious COVID-19 pandemic. Irrational use of masks has caused serious shortage of mask availability for frontline health-care workers, who really require it. Therefore, the authors have carried out this comprehensive evidence-based review to guide policy-makers for the rational use of the face mask in this crisis. Social distancing, meticulous hand hygiene and respiratory etiquettes are more important in curbing the COVID-19 infection transmission rather than use of face mask alone but people may use multilayer cloth face covering especially in the areas of significant community-based transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Frontline health-care workers essentially require the full set of personal protective equipment, including gown, gloves, goggles or face shields, shoe covers, and mask, preferably N95 or equivalent respirator when exposed to aerosols. In case, N95 or equivalent equipment is not available, and then, surgical mask can also protect them adequately during non-aerosol generating procedures, provided meticulous hand hygiene is practiced.
first_indexed 2024-03-12T02:54:27Z
format Article
id doaj.art-ba8bbdfe316e4aa3b3a1f6feb93559db
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2277-9019
2321-4899
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-12T02:54:27Z
publishDate 2020-01-01
publisher Jaypee Brothers Medical Publisher
record_format Article
series Indian Journal of Respiratory Care
spelling doaj.art-ba8bbdfe316e4aa3b3a1f6feb93559db2023-09-03T15:24:18ZengJaypee Brothers Medical PublisherIndian Journal of Respiratory Care2277-90192321-48992020-01-019214915210.4103/ijrc.ijrc_27_20Who should use a face mask during COVID-19 pandemic? An evidence-based reviewSuresh K SharmaRavi KantThere is a lot of confusion about who should use face mask during this serious COVID-19 pandemic. Irrational use of masks has caused serious shortage of mask availability for frontline health-care workers, who really require it. Therefore, the authors have carried out this comprehensive evidence-based review to guide policy-makers for the rational use of the face mask in this crisis. Social distancing, meticulous hand hygiene and respiratory etiquettes are more important in curbing the COVID-19 infection transmission rather than use of face mask alone but people may use multilayer cloth face covering especially in the areas of significant community-based transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Frontline health-care workers essentially require the full set of personal protective equipment, including gown, gloves, goggles or face shields, shoe covers, and mask, preferably N95 or equivalent respirator when exposed to aerosols. In case, N95 or equivalent equipment is not available, and then, surgical mask can also protect them adequately during non-aerosol generating procedures, provided meticulous hand hygiene is practiced.http://www.ijrconline.org/article.asp?issn=2277-9019;year=2020;volume=9;issue=2;spage=149;epage=152;aulast=Sharmacovid-19covid-19 pandemicface maskmaskn95 masksars-cov-2
spellingShingle Suresh K Sharma
Ravi Kant
Who should use a face mask during COVID-19 pandemic? An evidence-based review
Indian Journal of Respiratory Care
covid-19
covid-19 pandemic
face mask
mask
n95 mask
sars-cov-2
title Who should use a face mask during COVID-19 pandemic? An evidence-based review
title_full Who should use a face mask during COVID-19 pandemic? An evidence-based review
title_fullStr Who should use a face mask during COVID-19 pandemic? An evidence-based review
title_full_unstemmed Who should use a face mask during COVID-19 pandemic? An evidence-based review
title_short Who should use a face mask during COVID-19 pandemic? An evidence-based review
title_sort who should use a face mask during covid 19 pandemic an evidence based review
topic covid-19
covid-19 pandemic
face mask
mask
n95 mask
sars-cov-2
url http://www.ijrconline.org/article.asp?issn=2277-9019;year=2020;volume=9;issue=2;spage=149;epage=152;aulast=Sharma
work_keys_str_mv AT sureshksharma whoshoulduseafacemaskduringcovid19pandemicanevidencebasedreview
AT ravikant whoshoulduseafacemaskduringcovid19pandemicanevidencebasedreview