Can face masks protect you from the coronavirus?

Surgical face masks have been flying off the shelves in several cities around Canada ever since coronavirus reports started ramping up.

The most common face masks are loose surgical masks with elastic loops that go around the ears. The masks cover the mouth without creating a seal around it. One side is generally coloured blue, and is meant to face outwards. The top of the mask has a metal strip to mold to the bridge of the nose.

These masks do little for a healthy person, doctors say, but they could be useful for someone who is sick and trying not to spread the illness.

The N95 respirator mask, which is made of a thicker material and designed to fit more closely to the face, may be more effective at blocking viruses in general, but it needs to be fit tested, worn properly and replaced frequently -- making them inefficient for regular use by the public.

However, there’s no evidence that those masks would work against the new coronavirus either.

WHY ARE FACE MASKS INEFFECTIVE?

Many people don’t follow proper health etiquette while wearing a facial mask, which essentially negates any benefits a mask could’ve had.

It’s believed that the coronavirus is spread the way many respiratory illnesses are: by droplets when an infected individual sneezes or coughs. This means it’s more likely for a person to become infected if they have close, continuous contact with someone who is already infected, as opposed to passing a sick person on the street.

If a sick person needs to travel on public transit, observing sneezing and coughing etiquette by coughing into an elbow and turning away from other passengers is important.

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