According to the World Health Organization’s Director-General, the use of mask which is now a norm among the general population has not been proven to prevent COVID-19. The Director-General disclosed that masks alone cannot stop coronavirus. Countries must continue to be unrelenting with carrying out a test for COVID-19, contact trace, isolate and treat infected patients.
Tedros Ghebreyesus stated that proper hygiene, sneezing into your elbow, washing hands for 30 seconds, use of hand sanitizers and avoid crowded places must continue with or without the use of masks. More importantly, if masks are worn, they must be used and disposed of correctly as guided by WHO on how to use masks.
The Director-General stated that masks should be used in communities with no supply of water, substandard and cramped living condition that makes it difficult for them to wash their hands regularly or be able to practice social distancing. The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests and recommends masks to those in the frontline of the fight against the pandemic disease, those looking after infected patients and are also in sick communities.
Those in health care facilities are recommended by the WHO to use masks, respirators and other more protective equipment. According to Tedros Ghebreyesus, the increased use of masks by the general public can result in the hoarding of masks and shortages for those who need the mask the most. Those working in frontlines of the battle against the pandemic disease. This shortage is putting the lives of health experts at risk.
Medical masks must be left for medical practitioners at the frontlines of the fight against COVID-19. He admonished countries recommending the use of both medical and non-medical masks to study the effectiveness of the use of these masks. The novel pandemic disease as infected over 1 million people globally.
This comes barely a day after Cameroon mandated for all citizens to wear face masks to prevent the spread of the viral disease.
