The evolution of the Covid-19 pandemic has led different countries to relax certain measures to prevent contagion, including the use of the mask. However, there is consensus that this device makes it possible to prevent cases of SARS CoV-2 and, together with vaccination, contributes to reducing the transmission of the virus.
Self-care measures and vaccination campaigns have been fundamental in the world to be able to control the advance of Covid-19 and all its variants. And the use of masks has been one of the most important protection mechanisms to prevent its spread.
However, with the decline in infections, some countries such as Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Israel, the United Kingdom and Belgium decided to completely eliminate the use of the mask, while other nations have chosen to remove its obligation in open spaces ( Australia, Hungary, Poland), or maintain its use indoors and on public transport (Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, Portugal)
Carlos perezdean of the Faculty of Medicine and Science of the San Sebastián University points out that we must not forget that the pandemic is still in force and with many new infections.
This despite the fact that the cases of more serious patients who are in the Critical Patient Unit and connected to mechanical ventilation have begun to decrease.
In his opinion, regardless of the decisions that other countries are adopting, “in Chile we must at least maintain self-care measures and in particular the use of masks that reduce the risk of transmitting and acquiring the SARS CoV-2 virus.”
In addition, he maintains that “many times people enter a closed place and forget their mask or do not bring it, which implies that in the end its proper use is lost. This leads to confusion and then it is very difficult to go back with this protection measure.”
The dean of the USS School of Medicine and Science does not see major inconveniences in terms of capacity limits or ceasing to apply temperature controls, but emphasizes that “the use of masks, frequent hand washing and ventilation of closed spaces.
“Let us remember that vaccines especially avoid complications and deaths, but not necessarily SARS CoV-2 infection, which is not exactly mild, but rather a condition that leads people to be at rest, with fever and listless for several days. ”, concludes the infectologist.
