translated from Spanish: Expert: effectiveness of cloth masks and others does not vary too much

Several hospitals and health centres in Spain have made a determination to veto the use of cloth masks inside their facilities, while others have even begun to distribute surgical hubs at their main entrances. The reason? Behind this measure is the difficulty of knowing whether the cloth mask actually meets the health requirements to prevent the spread of the virus, as they often do not have any type of approval, despite complying at the regulatory level, which ensures that those who use them cannot be fined. However, hospitals and health facilities are very vulnerable places, even more so in times of pandemic, and this is the main reason it has pushed to make the decision. In this regard, the infectologist of Clínica Las Condes, Dr. Guillermo Acuña, told hoyxhoy that there is really not much difference between the effectiveness of cloth masks and surgical masks, as long as the former have at least two layers of fabric. However, Acuña said that the masks that are most effective are KN95, which he explained “filter 95% of the particles and effectively give greater protection of covid, in addition to being used in the protection of other important air transmission infections”. Although the expert argued that while “there are people who are willing to spend more, another is unwilling to tolerate them because those masks decrease the ability to ventilate, then one feels it.” On the other hand, the grace of cloth masks is that they can be washed, while the surgical ones must be discarded as soon as they get wet or they already start to look dirty, since that speaks that they have been exposed to contamination. Asking someone to useThe experts have said that the request to put on mask should be made discreetly because pointing to the person in public could put them on the defensive. If they feel violent about how to approach them, they are much less likely to change their minds, said Jan Kavookjian, behavioral scientist at Auburn University. According to the professional, quoting local standards or recommendations from health authorities could help many more in some cases.” Some people feel less threatened when they are told ‘this is what the experts say,'” Kkavookjian added. But asking a stranger to wear it could end up in a tense situation, as many people are hard to convince. Instead of risking a confrontation, experts believe it would be best to avoid people without masks in public, as long as possible. And if you’re in a store or a restaurant, it’s better for a manager or someone in charge to ask people to comply with the healthcare protocol, said Diane Gottsman, a protocol expert. Now, in cases where a person is interacting with someone who doesn’t wear a mask, Gottsman suggested that they say something rather soft, of the kind: “For their safety and mine, I would feel much more comfortable if we both wearing a mask now.”

Original source in Spanish