Different Masks Bring Different Benefits

Press release from the SSM Health St. Clare Hospital - Fenton:

December 3, 2020 by SSM Health

With many communities under mask mandates and workplaces, schools and other facilities observing their own mask requirements, most Americans have developed a go-to plan regarding masking. Some may prefer disposable surgical masks; others may prefer reusable cloth face coverings. Even then, there are varieties of ties, ear loops and much more.

One of the key reasons studies show masks are effective at preventing the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases is the concept of source control, or keeping the potentially infectious droplets found in the breath of one person contained by their own mask, less able to enter the air and invisibly enter the eyes, nose or mouth of another individual.

“You may have heard sayings suggesting that ‘my mask protects you and your mask protects me.’This is true when it comes to masks for source control that adequately cover the nose and the mouth,” said Dr. James Kirk, an infectious disease specialist at SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital in Oklahoma City. “Face shields can be effective in protecting the wearer’s eyes from droplet exposure, but they don’t help keep that person from potentially spreading the disease to others.”

In short, face coverings that overlay the nose and mouth are designed to keep a potentially sick person from spreading it to others, rather than serving as an impenetrable barrier to keep the mask wearer from getting sick (although studies show it can help decrease chances of the wearer contracting the virus, too). This is why experts say, “we’re all in this together” – if everyone wears a mask and social distances, this decreases the opportunity for the droplets of a sick person to reach an uninfected one.

On the other hand, face shields are designed to protect the eyes and face of the wearer. They don’t affect what the wearer breathes in, nor do they provide source control to keep the wearer’s respiratory droplets from entering the air.

“While face shields are a must for many health care workers and can help provide an extra layer of protection for others who may come in contact with an infected person, they aren’t independently as effective as coverings of the nose and mouth in slowing the spread of COVID-19,” Dr. Kirk said. “If one should feel the need to wear a face shield, it’s important to wear a mask over the nose and mouth as well.”

For more information on masking, visit the CDC website.

To learn more about current guidelines on COVID-19 symptoms or to participate in a free SSM Health Virtual Visit to assess symptoms you may be experiencing, visit our website.

This press release was produced by the SSM Health St. Clare Hospital - Fenton. The views expressed are the author's own.