Face Masks and Swine Flu
Is the use of face masks really essential to guard against H1N1 flu at work, in the street, on airlines, buses, trains or even around the home?
A lot of people are wondering about this question these days.
The following suggestions may be helpful. The usage of face masks or respirators is usually not recommended for around the local neighborhood and in family situations.
However, for particular higher risk circumstances, for example caregivers in the home, a face mask or respirator ought to be used.
The use of a facemask or respirator should as well be considered for any people, who are at increased threat of serious illness from respiratory tract infection, once they are in crowded community settings, such as in a hospital or nursing home.
The use of N95 respirators or face masks, by and large, is not recommended for workers in businesses and offices, that is in non healthcare occupational situations, for common every day work activities.
For certain work activities, that have to do with contact with people who have an influenza like illness, such as escorting a person with the flu, interviewing a person with the flu, or providing assistance to an individual with flu symptoms, the following steps are recommended:
Workers must try to keep a distance of at least 6 feet from the person with the symptoms.
Workers should make sure their interactions with the ill person are as short as possible, and only when really necessary.
The ill person should be asked to stick to good “coughing manners”, and to maintain good hand hygiene and to wear a face mask when this is possible.
Hand washing is very important.
Workers with increased possibility of severe illness from influenza infection, should steer clear of people with these flu like symptoms, even if this means temporary reassignment, to other areas. Wherever workers cannot escape close contact with persons with influenza like illness, some workers may decide to wear a face mask or N95 respirator on a voluntary basis.
For workers in occupational healthcare settings, use of N95 respirators is recommended. Infection control precautions, including respiratory protection, are not perfect, and so dangers should always be minimised by taking sensible precautions.
