Experts dispute effectiveness of masks in include swine influenza
This article was translated by an automatic translation system, and was therefore not reviewed by people.
One of the most common images in the midst of an outbreak of swine influenza is to people in Mexico walking the streets wearing masks. And as the disease spreads from country to country, there are reports that people are buying any type of product on the internet.
But if on the one hand the frenzy is understandable, experts are skeptical about the show how the masks are useful.
Professor John Oxford, a virology from a leading hospital in London, the Barts and the London, says: "In reality, there is very little evidence that the masks provide real protection against influenza. I think it gives them to the public and happened in Mexico only destroys trust. "
There were questions like this that led authorities to groups like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Agency for Health Protection of English to avoid asking for the public use masks.
While the Mexican handed masks to the population, most other countries, including the UK, is allowing them to workers in the health sector.
Others, like Belgium, bought some for people infected with flu, while others, including Spain, handed them to passengers on that plane back from areas affected by swine flu.
It is believed that there are enough masks for half the workforce of the public health system in the UK, but authorities have already discussed with providers ask about another 30 million to help in the event of a pandemic.
Workers in the area of health received the order to use them, and special gloves if coming into contact with potential victims in the swine flu. The Oxford professor believes that this strategy is correct:
"They are people most likely come into contact with the virus, and could pass it forward," he says.
The Department of Health British concentrated their efforts in obtaining what is called a respiratory masks. They have filters that prevent the person to suck some particles in the air. These are much more efficient than the pattern masks or dust masks against such as those used by the construction workers.
However, none of the masks can prevent 100% that the particles pass through, and become less efficient when wet. They are more efficient to keep the virus out.
Dr. Ronald Cutler, vice director of biomedical science at the University of London, says: "If you sneeze with a mask the virus can be contained, so that point of view, if all wear masks can stop the spread of the virus," he says.
"Or you can have people with use the flu, but when they are diagnosed as patients of the disease may be too late. And the problem is that when someone sneezes tends to remove the mask. I think the masks give people a false sense of security. " (Source: Estadão Online)
Source: Environment Australia
This article was translated by an automatic translation system, and was therefore not reviewed by people.
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