This face mask can also help you with wildfire smoke, experts say. If you can find one
People have been wearing masks to curb the spread of COVID-19, but as wildfires burn in California, resulting in elevated levels of pollution, you also may need a mask to protect yourself from smoke.
Cloth face coverings and medical masks have been recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to slow the spread of the virus, but they aren’t effective in filtering out smoke, ABC7 News reported.
It’s best to wear N95 masks, which filter out 95 percent of hazardous matter, but they’ve been in short supply during the pandemic, according to SFGate.
The N95 masks with an exhalation valve, which reduces moisture in the mask and makes it easier to breathe, isn’t the best to wear to stop COVID transmission because it allows air to leave the mask, according to ABC7 News.
If someone happens to be asymptomatic, the virus could still leave the mask and infect others. A way to solve this is to block the valve with tape or wear another cloth mask over the N95 mask, SFGate reported.
As wildfires burn, smoke makes it easier to get COVID-19, experts say. How to be safe
Wildfire smoke can make you more prone to lung illnesses, including COVID-19, because it irritates the lungs, affects the immune system, and causes inflammation, according to the CDC.
“Unfortunately, wildfires continue to burn throughout the Bay Area and we expect several days of smoky conditions,” said Jack Broadbent, executive officer of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. “As respiratory health is top of mind for all of us during the pandemic, it’s crucial that residents take steps to avoid exposure to unhealthy air.”
The CDC recommends limiting time spent outdoors, using a portable air cleaner, air conditioners, heat pumps, fans, and window shades inside, and avoiding creating more pollution by frying food, vacuuming, sweeping or using gas appliances.
People more at risk of wildfire smoke effects include: children under 18 years old, pregnant women, adults aged 65 and older, people with health conditions including asthma, diabetes, and lung disease, people of lower socioeconomic status, those who are immunocompromised or taking drugs suppressing the immune system, and outdoor workers.
This story was originally published August 20, 2020 at 10:18 AM with the headline "This face mask can also help you with wildfire smoke, experts say. If you can find one."