By Emmanuele di Leo

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Preserve the lives of the weakest.  Wear a mask

Steadfast Onlus often assists families in which one or more members fight daily against the most varied of diseases. The protection of life, and therefore of health, is one our fundamental value.

For this reason we want to talk to you about the importance on the use of face mask as a life-saving device, not only against Covid-19, but also for many infections and diseases.

As illustrated in the image, a face mask not only reduce the contagion between people, but also reduces the viral / bacterial / infectious load to which the person is exposed. Exposure to a lower viral load is one of the factors behind a positive outcome for a person affected by the COVID-19 disease.

– If you are in an enclosed, public space, please wear a mask.
– If you are outdoors and you are in a gathering situation, please wear a mask.
– In all conditions where you cannot keep the safety distance, please always wear a mask.
– It is not always possible to know the health history of those in front of you who could be an oncological patient, an immunosuppressed, a transplanted person, not necessarily elderly.  Behave in such a way as to protect those in front of you.

Obviously, common sense wants that if you are driving alone in your car, the use of the mask is not necessary as well as in other circumstances in which you are alone or between relatives belonging to your same household (this is different, instead, for family members living in a different household).

After careful review, we came to the conclusion that there is no scientific evidence that prolonged use of surgical face mask can have long-term harmful effects on the human body.  Carbon dioxide is a gas made up of very small CO2 molecules which are evacuated during respiration. There is nothing that can trap this gas for so long that it can cause harm to your body.

The surgical mask is absolutely disposable, and should be thrown away once it is finished in the period of use indicated on the package as it tends to accumulate impurities.
To limit the consumption of surgical masks, and therefore its cost, you can use a protective protection made of fabric that can be washed daily and sterilized thanks to the steam of ironing. Some models also have the option of a removable filter.

The use of the face mask, however obnoxious and uncomfortable, is a fundamental effort in this moment that will allow our society to gradually return to normal, as the experience of the Asian countries teaches us.

Preserve the lives of the weakest.  Wear a mask.