Unmasked!

It is funny to watch people in panic nowadays. In the height of H1N1, you can see the reaction of human beings. There are few things that caught my attention, though.

First, does the people know what’s the purpose of wearing a mask? It is to prevent the spread of disease to other people, not really prevent from contracting the disease. Unless you are speaking of N95 or N100 respirator. One day, I saw a couple waiting beside me for the traffic light, Both of them wore mask even when they were in car! You gotta look at their face, they were so proud wearing mask in the car! How on earth… Maybe that makes them a Mask Rider.

Then came along people that wear mask, just enough to cover the mouth only. The nostrils were staring at me. When they start talking, they just pull their mask even lower, to show me their mouth. I would say: “Hey there! Wait a second. Put back your mask!” They indeed wore mask, but only to cover the neck only. These are the ‘Neck Masker’.

Maybe it is a market hype, or latest fashion trends. Some patient wear a weird mask, or shall I say, a fancy mask? I have seen one that was black in colour, come with side gills and a pretty red linings. It might look trendy, and fashionable in a way, but I can’t say it confers protections against the miniscule virus particles. The side gill is indeed holes that is perforated, that permeates the passage of air in and out, way too large for a filter actions.

Mask is indeed an important object in term of self protection. Wear it correctly, it become a protection. Wear it wrongly, it might become a nuisance. Your choice.