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Face Masks During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Wearing face masks is recommended as part of personal protective equipment and as a public health measure to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Their use, however, is deeply connected to social and cultural practices and has acquired a variety of personal and social meanings. This article aims to identify the diversity of sociocultural, ethical, and political meanings attributed to face masks, how they might impact public health policies, and how they should be considered in health communication. In May 2020, we involved 29 experts of an interdisciplinary research network on health and society to provide their testimonies on the use of face masks in 20 European and 2 Asian countries (China and South Korea). They reflected on regulations in the corresponding jurisdictions as well as the personal and social aspects of face mask wearing. We analyzed those testimonies thematically, employing the method of qualitative descriptive analysis. The analysis framed the four dimensions of the societal and personal practices of wearing (or not wearing) face masks: individual perceptions of infection risk, personal interpretations of responsibility and solidarity, cultural traditions and religious imprinting, and the need of expressing self-identity. Our study points to the importance for an in-depth understanding of the cultural and sociopolitical considerations around the personal and social meaning of mask wearing in different contexts as a necessary prerequisite for the assessment of the effectiveness of face masks as a public health measure. Improving the personal and collective understanding of citizens' behaviors and attitudes appears essential for designing more effective health communications about COVID-19 pandemic or other global crises in the future.To get more news about famous mask stock, you can visit tnkme.com official website.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is currently perceived as one of the greatest global threats, not only to public health and well-being, but also to global economic and social stability. While the first two decades of the third millennium were characterized by crisis—most notably the economic downturn of 2008 and the looming climate change—the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus originating from China has given rise to most drastic societal and political responses. These included measures as severe as states forbidding citizens from leaving their homes and effectively shutting down all social and economic activities (1). In Europe, Italy was the first country to officially detect the presence of COVID-19 in its territory, and it swiftly adopted measures to contain its spread (2–4). Within a few weeks, the epidemic progressively spread across Europe. Because of the novel situation and the contradictory opinions of experts, including representatives of the scientific community and World Health Organization (WHO), the level of threat caused by the disease appeared unclear (5). The assessment of the perceived risks of the disease varied in the public discourse—some considered it just as “a stronger influenza”; others drew parallels with the very deadly Spanish Flu outbreak in the 1918–1920, and many were simply not sure what to believe. Nevertheless, most felt the novel and unpleasant feeling of being vulnerable to the invisible threat of the infection (i.e., to be the ones in danger) or to be contagious themselves (i.e., to be the danger).

A variety of public health and hygiene measures have been initiated; the most visually noticeable perhaps is the wearing of face masks. The medical research on the use of face masks as personal protective equipment (PPE) against SARS-CoV-2 transmission was interpreted very cautiously, and the initial guidance from health officials was conflicting (6). The WHO advice was conceived to avoid unnecessary paternalism and at the same time be comprehensive in discussing different medical aspects of mask use. However, it was updated several times, shifting from initial statements that face masks are not to be worn by healthy individuals toward gradual adoption of face masks as useful in slowing community transmission. In particular, “…WHO has updated its guidance to advise that to prevent COVID-19 transmission effectively in areas of community transmission, governments should encourage the general public to wear masks in specific situations and settings as part of a comprehensive approach to suppress SARS-CoV-2 transmission” (7). Gradually, face mask use has been recognized as a suitable measure within the scientific community (8–12), if nothing else due to the application of the “precautionary principle” in the face of an acute crisis (13, 14). This has since been backed up by empirical observations (15, 16).

Different, mandatory or voluntary, practices, and contradictory indications about the utility of face mask wearing were introduced across affected countries. Generally speaking, face masks have been adopted as one of the measures to reduce the COVID-19 spread across Europe, despite the fact that wearing masks in Europe is not common or familiar, and it is often associated with Asian countries (17). The social conventions and personal meanings of face mask use have received relatively little attention. Its use is deeply connected to social and cultural practices, as well as political, ethical, and health-related concerns, personal, and social meanings (18, 19).

Surgical masks reduce COVID-19 spread

A large, randomized trial led by researchers at Stanford Medicine and Yale University has found that wearing a surgical face mask over the mouth and nose is an effective way to reduce the occurrence of COVID-19 in community settings.To get more news about famous medical mask factory outlet, you can visit tnkme.com official website.

It also showed that relatively low-cost, targeted interventions to promote mask-wearing can significantly increase the use of face coverings in rural, low-income countries. Based on the results, the interventional model is being scaled up to reach tens of millions of people in Southeast Asia and Latin America over the next few months.

The findings were released Sept. 1 on the Innovations for Poverty Action website, prior to their publication in a scientific journal, because the information is considered of pressing importance for public health as the pandemic worsens in many parts of the world.

“We now have evidence from a randomized, controlled trial that mask promotion increases the use of face coverings and prevents the spread of COVID-19,” said Stephen Luby, MD, professor of medicine at Stanford. “This is the gold standard for evaluating public health interventions. Importantly, this approach was designed be scalable in lower- and middle-income countries struggling to get or distribute vaccines against the virus.”
Luby shares senior authorship with Ahmed Mushfiq Mobarak, PhD, professor of economics at Yale, of a paper describing the research. The lead authors are Ashley Styczynski, MD, MPH, an infectious disease fellow at Stanford; Jason Abaluck, PhD, professor of economics at Yale; and Laura Kwong, PhD, a former postdoctoral scholar at Stanford who is now an assistant professor of environmental health sciences at the University of California-Berkeley.
The researchers enrolled nearly 350,000 people from 600 villages in rural Bangladesh. Those living in villages randomly assigned to a series of interventions promoting the use of surgical masks were about 11% less likely than those living in control villages to develop COVID-19, which is caused by infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, during the eight-week study period. The protective effect increased to nearly 35% for people over 60 years old.

Providing free masks, informing people about the importance of covering both the mouth and nose, reminding people in-person when they were unmasked in public, and role-modeling by community leaders tripled regular mask usage compared with control villages that received no interventions, the researchers found.

In the intervention villages, they also saw a slight increase in physical distancing in public spaces, such as marketplaces. This finding indicates that mask-wearing doesn’t give a false sense of security that leads to risk-taking behaviors — a concern cited by the World Health Organization during the early days of the pandemic when its officials were considering whether to recommend universal masking.

“Our study is the first randomized controlled trial exploring whether facial masking prevents COVID-19 transmission at the community level,” Styczynski said. “It’s notable that even though fewer than 50% of the people in the intervention villages wore masks in public places, we still saw a significant risk reduction in symptomatic COVID-19 in these communities, particularly in elderly, more vulnerable people.”
Cloth vs. surgical masks
There were significantly fewer COVID-19 cases in villages with surgical masks compared with the control villages. (Although there were also fewer COVID-19 cases in villages with cloth masks as compared to control villages, the difference was not statistically significant.) This aligns with lab tests showing that surgical masks have better filtration than cloth masks. However, cloth masks did reduce the overall likelihood of experiencing symptoms of respiratory illness during the study period.

Bangladesh is a densely populated country in South Asia. It was chosen as the site of the trial for several reasons: One, mask promotion is considered vital in countries where physical distancing can be difficult; two, Innovations for Poverty Action Bangladesh had already established a research framework in the country; and three, many local partners were eager to support a randomized, controlled trial of masking.

“We saw an opportunity to better understand the effect of masks, which can be a very important way for people in low-resource areas to protect themselves while they wait for vaccines,” Kwong said. “So we collaborated with behavioral scientists, economists, public health experts and religious figures to design ways to promote mask use at a community level.”

Despite a growing body of scientific evidence that masks reduce the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19, it has been difficult to increase mask-wearing, particularly in low-resource countries and among people living in remote or rural areas. In June of 2020, only one-fifth of Bangladeshis in public areas were wearing a mask that properly covered the mouth and nose despite a nationwide mask mandate that was in effect at the time.

Asians Have Worn Face Masks for Decades

Face masks are considered by many a useful way to stop the contraction and spread of the new coronavirus. The tiny surgical aids are less common in Western countries despite growing outbreaks in Europe and the United States. But its use has exploded in Asia. That’s because Asians, especially in Japan, China and Taiwan, have worn masks for a host of cultural and environmental reasons, including non-medical ones, since at least the 1950s.To get more news about famous nonmedical mask wholesale, you can visit tnkme.com official website.

Japanese wear masks when feeling sick as a courtesy to stop any sneezes from landing on other people. Japanese women mask their faces on days when they don’t have time to put on makeup. Philippine motorcycle riders wear masks to deflect vehicular exhausts in heavy traffic. In Taiwan, citizens say masks keep their faces warm in the winter and offer a sense of protection from air pollution, including any airborne germs.

Masks have become so popular that some manufacturers make them purely for fashionable use, with no protective function.
“In Asia it’s a bigger thing to be wearing the mask in Asia because it’s already ingrained in their culture to do it under other circumstances a lot more than here in the United States,” said Bradley Sutton, an American who once lived in Japan.

Sutton is watching e-commerce mask orders surge now in his role as training director with Helium 10, a California company that provides software to Amazon sellers.

Masks became a regular part of the street scene in parts of Asia after the deadly severe outbreak of acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) that started in China in 2002 before spreading to Singapore and Taiwan over the following year. Today manufacturers in East Asia are pumping out 10 to 20 million units per month.

The SARS outbreak was a “turning point,” for Asia, said Chen Yih-chun, director of the National Taiwan University Hospital Center for Infection Control in Taipei. Before that, she said, Taiwanese saw masks as a stigma marking them as severely ill.

“Why we always mention the SARS matter is because during SARS and before that to wear a mask was impossible and patients didn’t want to cooperate,” Chen said.

But Japanese had worn them even in the 1950s as a safeguard against rising air pollution, a byproduct of industrialization. Now people who feel just “under the weather” in Japan wear them to be polite, Sutton said.Chinese youth wear masks too to build a “social firewall” against being approached by other people, perhaps in the Shanghai metro system, cultural news and analysis website China Under The Radar said in a March 2019 commentary.

The website credits masks further with hiding people’s identities. To that end, the black face mask became a symbol of last year’s Hong Kong protests attended by citizens hoping to avoid detection by police or their employers. Masks worn in traditional Chinese opera historically hid performers’ identity, the commentary says.

In Taiwan, older people add sunglasses and sun hats to masks to obscure their entire faces. The full blockade wards off sunburns and, some users say, stops common air pollution. High-tech pollution barrier masks are a norm in China’s major cities.

The common use of masks in Asia now goes beyond official health guidance as panic spreads about catching the coronavirus and people already find masks acceptable. In Taiwan, as well as South Korea, the rage in mask buying has prompted rationing.

Governments in Singapore and Taiwan recommend masks primarily for people who are already sick. The World Health Organization says healthy people need not wear masks unless caring for someone with the new coronavirus. COVID-19 has sickened about 119,000 people worldwide and killed nearly 4,300.

Best face masks of 2021: Doctors share their favorite masks

Face masks have become the new normal in America and while vaccination rates have increased, the nation has experienced a recent surge of Covid cases given the delta variant. Most recently, Arkansas and Florida have been in the spotlight as coronavirus epicenters. And as students prepare for in-person lessons in the fall and remote workers begin their soft return to offices over the next few months, you’re probably concerned with staying safe indoors. Notably, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently advised the more than 165 million fully vaccinated Americans to wear face masks indoors because of breakthrough infections.To get more news about quality type II mask factory, you can visit tnkme.com official website.

Medical professionals in high-risk environments regularly wear N95 masks while at work, according to the CDC. Although those types of masks are available to shop online, the CDC and doctors also argue these high-grade masks are unnecessary if you’re not in a high-risk environment. In fact, when the medical experts we consulted aren’t at their respective practices, they like to sport non-medical face masks, including reusable and disposable models. Opting for non-medical face masks also allows you to double mask — the government health agency does not recommend double masking with a KN95 mask.

To find out which face masks doctors prefer, we consulted seven medical experts about their favorite masks, which range from high fashion silk masks to antimicrobial and antibacterial ones.
Sumayah Jamal, MD, PhD, looks for face masks with "ample breathing room” like the moisture-wicking Fydelity mask. The board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group said this two-ply mask offers a "very good fit that won't keep slipping down or up." It also sports an adjustable nose bridge and earloops, plus a chin cup, preventing your mask from riding up.

Konstantin Vasyukevich, MD, prefers wearing these "stylish, comfortable and durable" face masks from medical scrubs maker Jaanuu, which he noted is a "well-respected brand within the medical community." For Konstantin, a double-board certified facial plastic surgeon in New York City, breathability is critical and he told us the face mask’s moisture-wicking fabric is “perfect” — especially during long days of surgery. He added that the mask’s set of antimicrobial properties is a “game changer.” You can get the masks in packs ranging from five a piece to 5,000.

Caroline Robinson, MD, a board-certified dermatologist, "loves" to wear Evolvetogether face masks when she's at the office for administrative work and opts for medical-grade surgical masks or N95s when seeing patients. She's a fan of the three-ply masks because they equip a water-resistant outer layer, a meltblown center and a water-absorbing inner layer, which is "great for both the office and when I'm running around for errands." Shopping readers have also shown a keen interest in Evolvetogether's disposable face masks in both adult and kid’s sizes.

Dendy Engelman, MD, gravitates toward BaubleBar and Love Shack Fancy face masks since "they're much prettier than the N95s I wear for work." Engelman, a celebrity dermatologist and Mohs surgeon at the Shafer Clinic Fifth Avenue, only employs reusable face masks that are two layers. BaubleBar cotton masks sport adjustable sliders on the ear loops for added comfort and come in trendy prints and colorways, like the Sequin and Mini Floral set and Black Floral and Pink set. They also make kid's face masks and face mask chains that you can buy premade or DIY.

Robinson likewise "loves" wearing Second Wind face masks because they are "functional and fit closely to the face and nose without compromising on style." The brand makes 100-percent silk and linen face masks featuring 100-percent organic cotton lining. You can pop in an activated carbon face mask filter into the interior pocket for an extra barrier of protection. These chic face masks flaunt adjustable ear straps for security and are available in three sizes: small, medium and large.

These "soft," satin-lined face masks came recommended by Robinson, who also favors masks made of cotton and satin. Because satin is a smooth material, it is less likely to cause any friction and irritation for those with sensitive skin. "It is so important to find a mask that you feel comfortable in because once the mask is on you should avoid touching it and adjusting it," explained Robinson, who will adjust the ear loops for the best fit.

Dentist Joseph Field, DDS, is such a “big fan” of these “very comfortable” and breathable face masks that he also ordered packs for his kids. These 32 Degrees face masks are treated with UPF50+, which provides an additional layer of sun protection. The athletic apparel brand also claims its face masks utilize yarn containing silver ions to help prevent odors.

70gsm HDPE Commercial Anti Hail Netting Mesh

Anti-hail net is made of high density polyethylene, mainly used to protect your fruit and orchard from the hail damage.To get more news about Commercial Hail Netting Supplier, you can visit dtwiremesh.com official website.
Application

It is designed for covering apple orchards, vineyards, and greenhouse.
It also helps to keep away birds and blocks least of the sunlight which in turn helps in increasing the production.
It helps to minimize the drop in fruit rate.
It also safeguards the fruit from damaging by the hailstorm.
The nets help to provide protection from strong wind hails.
Agfabric anti-hail netting is one of our new products to help you get better management of your crops. With this netting, you can provide wind protection for your plants, get your crops away from hail damage. Things get so easy. 100% New HDPE material ensures a long time of using. Strong and flexible. Easy to apply and you can cut it into any size you want. Can be used for any season, just use it to protect crops from wind, high temperature and hail. Use it as garden netting, bird netting, pond netting as you wanted.

Garden Shade Netting Camouflage Netting Camo Mesh Netting Campin

1× shade net net,fixed ropecamouflage netting

buy a variety of sizes to send the corresponding high-strength tensile strength fixed rope.To get more news about Camouflage Shade Netting Acting, you can visit dtwiremesh.com official website.

if you need other colors, my store has a variety of colors to choose from, and support size customization, please contact us if necessary.ecessary

●If you are satisfied with our products, please leave your true feedback

●Delivery time is 10-15 days.

●If you still can't receive your order after 20 days, please contact us.

●Because products need to be marginalized, all sizes of products will have a difference of plus or minus 6%.

●Because of the different understanding of the spotlight and the color of different people, there may be some color difference, but within a reasonable range.
1.Camouflage Netting are great for garden, hunt, shooting, photography hide, tree houses, hedge,kids room decoration, car shade, theme bar, kid play dens army, car cover, forts,carport, tent, bedroom accessories,decoration, greenhouse, base etc.
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Critterfence Black Steel Square - Less Than One Inch Opening

Small opening size square welded wire mesh
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Black PVC coated
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Makes a great bottom wire fence for gardens or backyard area. Also used to close in or block off areas under decks, etc.
This high-quality galvanized chain-link mesh fence with PVC coating. It will provide your home & property with years of maintenance-free beauty & privacy. This chain-link mesh fence with 0.1" thick wires is UV resistant and weatherproof, thereby ensuring years of use. Being galvanized with PVC coating, you won't have to worry about this fencing rusting or weakening.

THE PURPOSE AND PRECAUTIONS OF INSTALLING AGRICULTURAL INSECT-PROOF NETS

Why do we need to install anti-insect nets in greenhouses? There are two main reasons. In addition to promoting the growth of vegetables in the greenhouse, it also has many benefits for ensuring the environment in the greenhouse. Although the anti-insect net has obvious effects, improper installation and use can also have negative effects.To get more news about Hail netting for gardens Acting, you can visit dtwiremesh.com official website.
1. The purpose of installing agricultural insect-proof nets in greenhouses
(1) Insect pest control After covering the insect net, it can basically avoid various pests such as cabbage caterpillar, diamondback moth, aphids and so on.
(2) Disease prevention and insect prevention nets can play a role in disease prevention, especially the transmission of aphids, cutting off the transmission of pests, especially the transmission of aphids, greatly reducing the incidence of virus diseases, and avoiding the transmission of viruses to agricultural greenhouses. Bring catastrophic consequences.
(3) The temperature control insect screen can adjust the temperature and soil temperature of the agricultural greenhouse. In the hot summer, if the greenhouse is covered with a white insect screen, the temperature in the morning and evening in the shed will be the same as the open air, and noon is about 1℃ lower than that in the open air; Covering the black insect net in season can achieve the effect of heat preservation and effectively reduce the frost.
(4) Humidity control The insect-proof net can block part of the rainwater from falling into the agricultural greenhouse, reduce the humidity in the field, reduce the incidence, and reduce the evaporation of water in the greenhouse on sunny days.
(5) Shading light In summer, the intensity of light is high, and strong light will inhibit the nutrient growth of vegetables, especially leafy vegetables, and the insect screen can play a certain role in shading.

2. Precautions for installing agricultural insect-proof nets in greenhouses

(1) Different colors of the anti-insect net have different corresponding functions
Insect nets are generally black and white, and a commonly used silver gray has a better repelling effect on aphids. The color can be selected according to actual needs.

(2) Contain the source of infection

The installation of anti-insect nets in agricultural greenhouses also needs to use high-temperature stuffy sheds or spray low-toxic pesticides to kill parasite pupae and larvae in the soil before sowing or planting.

(3) Daily management

① The door of the agricultural shed should be closed tightly when entering and exiting the agricultural greenhouse, and the relevant utensils should be disinfected before agricultural operations to prevent the introduction of viruses to ensure the effectiveness of the anti-insect net.