Face masks sceptics slammed as experts debunk coronavirus myths

With all this talk of DIY face masks, there’s one way to check whether yours is made well and allows enough ventilation.

It’s easy to be a little confused about the efficacy of mask wearing.

For months we were told face masks weren’t necessary but now people in Melbourne are being warned wear one or risk getting a $200 fine.

Some celebrities are taking a defiant stance, refusing to wear one, and myths about them being dangerous continue to circulate on social media.

But experts have previously addressed these claims, shutting them down entirely.

Amy Price, a senior research scientist at Stanford University who was involved in the change to the WHO mask guidelines last month, said some people believed if you wear a mask for long periods of time you will trap and breathe in excess amounts of carbon dioxide, which could lead to brain damage.

“That’s just not true,” she said in a Stanford article.

“A properly constructed mask provides more than enough ventilation.

“In fact, one way to test if your mask is well made is to try to blow out a candle through the mask from about one foot away.

“If you can’t do so, your mask might be too tightly woven.”

In June WHO revised its guidelines about when people should wear cloth masks, previously saying only those who had symptoms of coronavirus or those caring for them should wear them.

Dr Price said she had heard all kinds of misconceptions about cloth masks, including that they encouraged people to touch their face.

“We’ve found the opposite,” she said.

“Wearing a mask reminds people to continue to be cautious. With a mask on, you actually touch your face less.”

Even WHO has addressed the CO2 intoxication myth.

“The prolonged use of medical masks can be uncomfortable,” WHO says in its mythbusters section.

“However, it does not lead to CO2 intoxication nor oxygen deficiency.

“While wearing a medical mask, make sure it fits properly and that it is tight enough to allow you to breathe normally. Do not re-use a disposable mask and always change it as soon as it gets damp.”

A medical mask, also known as a surgical mask, is flat or pleated and fixes to the head with straps or has ear loops.

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Experts have addressed myths on mask wearing. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone

Victorian officials have made it clear people in Melbourne or Mitchell Shire - where their use will become mandatory on Thursday - don’t have to wear the surgical kind.

Dr Price said many people argue cloth masks can’t be effective because they can’t filter out viral particles, which are extremely tiny.

“Most of these particles leave the mouth and nose in much larger droplets that become smaller through evaporation as they move away from the body,” she said.

“Trapping droplets with the mask means not nearly as many viral particles escape.

“So, when all parties in a gathering are wearing well-constructed, well-fitting masks, it provides an extra layer of safety for everyone.”

Jeffrey Shaman, an epidemiologist at Columbia University, said the benefits from masks was clear.

“I personally think that face masks are a key component of the non-pharmaceutical arsenal we have to combat COVID-19,” he told National Public Radio.

A new report from the University of California has found masks can reduce the amount of virus that gets into someone’s system, meaning they do not get as badly sick.

“You will get in a lower dose of virus if you wear a mask and are exposed to COVID-19 and are very likely to have mild or no symptoms,” researchers Monica Gandhi told The Times.

“The research suggests that we should go towards universal population-level masking to control infections and to limit the severity of disease.”

The paper is due to be published in the Journal of Internal Medicine but was made available in advance by the researchers