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Cloth masks—dangerous to your health?
The widespread use of cloth masks by healthcare workers may actually put them at increased risk of respiratory illness and viral infections and their global use should be discouraged, according to a UNSW study.
The widespread use of cloth masks by healthcare workers may actually put them at increased risk of respiratory illness and viral infections and their global use should be discouraged, according to a UNSW study.
Workers used the mask on every shift for four consecutive weeks.
The study found respiratory infection was much higher among healthcare workers wearing cloth masks.
The penetration of cloth masks by particles was almost 97% compared to medical masks with 44%.
The study found respiratory infection was much higher among healthcare workers wearing cloth masks.
The penetration of cloth masks by particles was almost 97% compared to medical masks with 44%.
The authors speculate that the cloth masks' moisture retention, their reuse and poor filtration may explain the increased risk of infection.
"Effective controls of outbreaks and pandemics at the origin impacts us directly, so it is important for global disease control that the
"Effective controls of outbreaks and pandemics at the origin impacts us directly, so it is important for global disease control that the
use of cloth masks be discouraged in high-risk situations," she said.Professor MacIntyre said the study's results pointed to the effectiveness of medical masks, in addition to the harm caused by cloth masks. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-04-masksdangerous-health.html
