Merry CHRISTmas, Y’all!
Ah, the week before Christmas is usually a time of bustling activity. While this year’s travel and gathering precautions/restrictions may have changed what this week will look like for you—as it has for me—one thing remains the same:
We celebrate the coming to earth of the Lord Jesus Christ!
So, let us join our hearts together in praise, gratitude, and outright JOY because as Christ-followers we have been redeemed and restored. Our past is forgiven, our present has purpose, and our future is full of promise!
To help your future remain bright and healthy, I’d like to host a very important event: A MASKerade Party!
Attending this party may be the healthiest thing you can do for yourself (and others) in the coming months. But first, let me answer a question which may be looming in your mind:
Are all masks equally effective? The clear, studied answer is No.
That said, we all must choose the masks we will wear to this “party” wisely. Below I have a well-researched Christmas gift for you to unwrap which will enable you to make the best decision for yourself and your loved ones.
- Bandana and gaiter masks are the least effective…so if you are using either of these, my advice is to stop and get yourself a supply of surgical masks. They are now available at big box stores for a reasonable price, far less than one co-pay at your doctor’s office.
- Exhalation valves are also a bad idea. They concentrate the out-going flow of your exhaled droplets and even expel them at a greater force so they travel farther that 6 ft.
- 2 or 3-ply masks are more effective than single ply (3-ply is preferable).
- Homemade or store-bought cloth masks should be made of a high thread count cotton, and again, 2-3 layers is best. Test: Hold your mask up to the light and look through it. If you can see the individual fiber weave, it is not too effective at stopping minute viral particles in either direction.
- Masks need to sit flush against the contours of your face, fitted around the bridge of your nose (a thin metal insert works best here).
- And for goodness sake, please cover your nose! Particles exhaled through the nose are smaller than those exhaled by the mouth, so chances are, they linger in the air longer. Fun fact: an uncovered sneeze can shoot out infectious particles more than 26 feet!
- The best protection is an N95 (or even an N99) mask, meaning it filters out 95%, or 99% of inhaled and exhaled particles.
However, please, please do not buy N95 masks for yourself—save these for frontline workers as the PPE shortage is still very much a problem!
Instead, purchase KN95 masks. These are manufactured abroad and the hospitals in the US cannot legally use these.
That said, disposable, 2- and 3-ply surgical masks came in a close second to the N95 mask when comparing the efficacy of different mask options. Additionally, a study published in 2013 found disposable surgical masks to be 3 times more effective than homemade masks.