Face Shields vs. Face Masks – Which Is Better and More Effective

With the coronavirus outbreak all over the world, we have seen people using face shields and face masks to protect themselves from a deadly infection. The debate is whether face shields or masks are more effective in protecting from respiratory droplets of an infected person. To be candid, both of them come with benefits and pitfalls. When it comes to face shields, they are more effective to protect people from larger droplets while masks are perfect for smaller droplets. 

According to an article published in Huffington Post, experts like Eli Perencevich, who is a professor of internal medicine and epidemiology working at the University Of Iowa Carver College Of Medicine, think that face shields are possible more effective than cloth masks when it comes to the community setting. Let us delve deeper into this debate. 

Face shields are beneficial 

These are curved plastic pieces covering your complete face from the top of your forehead to your neck. The experts in the industry believe that these shields protect people from larger respiratory droplets from transmitting via mucus membranes in the nose, eyes, as well as mouth. There are several benefits of using face shields. These are: 

• • Covers your nose, eyes, mouth right from the forehead to your neck
  • Prevents 96 percent of the virus contained in bigger droplets and 68 percent of smaller droplets
  • The plastic material is impenetrable
  • It covers your eyes, which are entry points of the coronavirus
  • You are less prone to touch your face when wearing a face shield.
  • Face shields are comfortable for use compared to a cloth mask. Face shields make breathing easier.
  • Your spectacles will not fog when you wear a face shield.
  • You can clean the product easily with water and soap.
  • It is better to use it in a community environment and not in a hospital. 

Uses of face masks

Though experts in the industry recommend the use of face shields, you cannot undermine the importance of masks. Here are the key benefits of masks: 

• It minimizes the spread of the virus in the air three times.
• Better to stop the movement of small droplets that move farther in the air
• It is best for source control, where the spread of the virus is prevented when a person coughs.
• When it comes to N95 masks, they are appropriate for use because they fit on your face tightly. They are also easy to buy online, for example here: https://72hours.ca/collections/n95-mask

You may also consider using 3 layer facemask when social distancing isn’t possible.

The pitfalls of wearing masks

Not all masks available in the market are suitable for protecting against virus transmission through the air. Some cloth masks slip below the nose and therefore, it is no use wearing them. People are more prone to touch their faces when wearing masks. Some medical and cloth masks do not fit tightly on the face. Though N95 masks are the best, they are much in demand by medical professionals. These masks are in limited supply and are mostly reserved for doctors and nurses. 

Conclusion 

The nose, eyes, and mouth are the major entry points for the coronavirus and therefore, you need to wear both face shields and masks to protect you from the infection. Both have their benefits and so, you need to use them in the right way. 

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