Should I Wear a Clear Plastic Face Mask?
Face masks are one of the most important tools we can use to keep each other safe when things open up again. But what about faceplates? It is a transparent plastic that protects your face from splashing. They can be a good addition to face masks, but not a replacement.
Face shields protect you from other people’s drips
One of the biggest disadvantages of masks, especially cloth masks, is that they are not a big obstacle to droplets from the respiratory tract of other people. You can’t just put on a mask and consider yourself safe; you are only protected if the other person also wears it.
But the face mask is made of splash-proof plastic, which provides an extra layer of protection if human droplets hit the screen and not your face. Remember that the shield is inherently open at the bottom. For example, if someone in a chair is looking at you and sneezing, the shield does little for you.
Face masks do little to protect others from you.
The tight-fitting mask captures most of the droplets from the respiratory tract that come from the mouth and nose . But the face mask is open at the bottom making it much more leaky than the mask.
Healthcare professionals using face shields use them in conjunction with a mask . The shield protects them and also keeps their mask clean so they can wear it longer. (In and of itself, this is not very good – masks should indeed be disposable, but many hospitals still lack supplies.)
Face masks have other benefits as well.
In addition to protecting your mouth and nose, face shields also protect your eyes from potentially virus-infected droplets. They also make it nearly impossible to accidentally touch your face or mask.
Face masks are also easy to clean – just wipe them off. They are also more reliable than masks because you are not going to accidentally put the mask on your chin or let your nose stick out.
So is it worth wearing a face shield when you’re on the go? Some experts argue that you should do this either in addition to or instead of a mask when masks are not available.
A face shield is definitely a good idea if you will be in close contact with people who may be sick, for example, if you are caring for a COVID-19 patient at home. Some healthcare professionals, including some people who test for COVID-19, wear them for months.