Three highly contagious respiratory viruses are sickening adults and children across the country and with holiday gatherings just weeks away, public health officials are starting to talk about masks again.
Although mask mandates are unlikely in most parts of the country, health experts are renewing recommendations to wear a high-quality medical mask on public transport, airports and airplanes, shopping and other crowded public places.
Notably, this method is not about avoiding mask recommendations Corona virus. Masks are advised to protect against the so-called “tripledemic” – a confluence of flu, coronavirus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) that is already straining and forcing hospitals. Parents lose their jobs In the number of registrations.
As the country heads into its third pandemic winter, Covid-19 cases are on the rise and the 2022-23 flu season is shaping up. Worst in a decade – According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4,500 people have already died from the flu, including 14 children.
With the heavy burden of disease overwhelming the health care system, it can be hard to believe that something as simple as a face mask can make a meaningful difference. But health experts say a quality medical mask like an N95, KN95, or KF94 can be a more effective line of defense, especially when combined with vaccination, hand washing, better ventilation and crowd avoidance.
Jay K., an internal medicine physician, epidemiologist and professor of population health sciences at Weill Cornell Medical College. Varma says, “Masks will help reduce your risk of all respiratory viruses. “They should be proper quality masks. Even a very small percentage increase in mask wearing can have a big impact when multiplied by a large population.
We spoke to several public health experts about why a mask might be your best holiday accessory this winter. Here’s what they had to say.
