The COVID-19 pandemic presents enormous challenges. A newly emerged virus to which the world’s population has no immunity, coupled with the rapid movement of people across the globe, has set the stage for an outbreak of proportions not seen in the last century.
For infection with this virus to occur, it must come into contact with the eyes, nose, or mouth. This happens when droplets produced by an infected person (via talking, coughing or sneezing), land on the face of another person. These infectious droplets can travel up to 6 feet, which is the reason to promote social distancing. Touching a surface that is contaminated with infectious droplets and then touching one’s own eyes, nose or mouth, is another way for infection to occur. Therefore, the key to avoiding infection is to have these areas of the face covered.
In hospitals, face masks and goggles are typically used to prevent exposure to infectious droplets. However, face mask shortages are occurring because of interruptions in the supply chain, which is deeply rooted in China and disrupted by the pandemic. Some health care workers have been forced to resort to scarves and bandannas in a last-ditch attempt to protect themselves while providing care. Even when plentiful, face masks are not without problems. Once they become wet from the humidity in exhaled air, they lose effectiveness. In addition, some individuals touch their face more often to adjust the mask, which increases the risk of infection if the hands are contaminated.