Amid outbreak, coronavirus tips: cloth face mask is useless versus novel coronavirus.
CORONAVIRUS TIPS – Amid the coronavirus scare and outbreak worldwide, experts say that wearing of cloth face masks is useless against the virus.
The first confirmed case of the nCoV in the Philippines has been recorded and now it is down on its third infected case. Based on previous article, the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed this and the patient is a Chinese national aging 60 years old.
And now, one tip amid the scare and outbreak, Dr. Edsel Salvana, director of the NIH’s Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology said the wearing of cloth face masks against the the 2019 novel coronavirus – acute respiratory disease (2019-nCoV ARD) is useless.
Accordingly, it doesn’t have filters similar to that of found on surgical masks. Salvano told based on Inquirer’s report, “Ang cloth mask hindi gumagana dahil walang filter. Akala niyo protektado kayo, hindi pala.”
He also reminded the people to wear masks especially those who have flu-like symptoms. He stressed, “Kahit walang nCoV parang awa niyo na kung may sakit kayo mag-surgical mask kayo.”
He also plead the public not to hoard N95 masks for these are primarily used by health workers. Salvana added, “Ang N95 masks ang gumagamit lang po niyan ay doctor dahil kailangang ma-fit nang maayos… Subukan niyo huminga sa N95 masks. Ako hindi ako lumalampas ng sampung minuto pumapasok ako para tumingin ng pasyente na may tuberculosis, yun po ang ginagamitan ng N95.”
Meanwhile, the global death toll brought about by the dangerous virus has already reached 500. In Hubei, there are 479 deaths recorded already which raised at least 490 victims in total globally.
Chinese officials admitted that “shortcoming and difficulties” in its response to the nCoV outbreak.
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