We have all seen them: The men and women who use a mask over their mouth just, leaving their nose discovered. And perhaps you wondered if this was OK.
No, it is not.
This is why it is important to cover your nose with a mask, in addition to your own mouth.
How to wear a face mask the right way
Face masks help protect you and other people from catching or dispersing COVID-19. But it is very important to follow the appropriate actions to be certain that you’re not contaminating the mask or your own face.
The SARS-CoV-2 virus resides in people’s nasal passages. As soon as an infected person exhales, they release viral particles out of their nose to the atmosphere. (And note we are discussing a simple exhale, not a cough or sneeze. Even the easy act of breathing discharges particles.) A mask — worn across the mouth and nose helps to prevent these infectious particles from getting airborne and reaching other people.
Maybe individuals who are”half-masking” feel healthy so that they presume the particles coming from the nose are perfectly benign — no harm, no foul. However, as you’ve likely heard by now, individuals may be infectious with no symptoms, so someone may believe like it is safe for them to just halfway wear their hide, however they don’t have any method of knowing that.
And sporting a mask (correctly ) is not just about protecting other people. New research indicates a mask lessens the quantity of germs that the wearer breathes in, shielding the wearer from becoming sick. Therefore, in the event that you leave your nose discovered, you are breathing in more contaminants from the atmosphere around you, placing yourself at greater risk of catching COVID-19.
Many people today claim they”do not breathe through their nose” because of a deviated septum or another medical matter. This is not a pass to half-mask. Even if it seems as if you can not breathe through your nose, then air is moving through your nasal passages. It’s still true that you can breathe in viral particles or exhale them throughout your nose. So you still require a mask over your nose.
If covering both nose and mouth with a mask allows you to feel fuller, try several kinds of face coverings — perhaps a bigger sized mask or a multi-layer gaiter — to find one which you can wear with moderate comfort over your mouth and nose. You are going to be maintaining yourself safer from COVID-19 and protecting others.