Health Department warns of cloth face masks ineffectiveness
Some countries, such as Germany and Austria, have banned them on public transport and in shops
In the Health Department there is concern about the use and abuse of cloth face masks: they have "nicer designs" but "do not fulfill" the function of protecting others and protect us from others. The warning that the director of the monitoring unit of covid-19 in Catalonia, Jacobo Mendioroz, verbalized a few days ago, puts back on the table the debate on the safety of cloth masks as well as those masks that are made at home, which are now questionned more due to the emergence of new variants of the virus. "We are considering giving clearer recommendations", Mendioroz admitted, who made it clear that the use of face masks "shouldn't be to avoid a fine, or because of an aesthetic issue". "It has to comply with the regulations", he insisted.
In fact, in Germany and Austria there is already controversy, because cloth masks have been banned on public transport, in shops and in religious buildings, where only FFP2 or surgical masks can be worn. In France, the High Council of Health has also recommended the use of safer masks, because both homemade and cloth masks do not sufficiently protect citizens against covid-19 variants, such as British or South African, which are more contagious.
In Spain, no change is in sight
Spain, however, is not considering changing recommendations. The criterion remains the same: hygienic masks (among which cloths masks are included) are used by the healthy population, and let surgical masks to be used mainly by the sick, and by health workers. Thus, according to the director of the Center for Coordination of Alerts and Health Emergencies, Fernando Simon, it is "sensible" that FFP2 masks are mandatory for health workers but it is "debatable" that they have to be worn by the entire population. Spain follows, therefore, what the World Health Organization states, who a few days ago said that cloths masks are still as effective as they have always been, and still recommends them in people under 60 who have no health problems. Faced with the enormous difficulties in obtaining masks stocks for health personnel and care homes, the resolution in the Official State Gazette (BOE)of last May already spoke of mandatory use of any "type of mask". The problem was that, apart from the approved cloth masks, homemade designs that have neither the fabrics nor the necessary filters have multiplied.
"We have to be aware that, although all masks offer a degree of protection, with fabric masks it is lower", IRTA CReSA researcher and professor at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) Joaquim Segalés confirms. If we were only taking into account a precautionary principle, Segalés says that it would be appropriate to eliminate cloth masks and opt for surgical masks. "We have to wear more protection, that is, masks with more filters, where there is more risk of infection", he says, especially considering that, despite the uncertainties that still exist, it seems that the new variants of covid-19 are more easily transmitted. However, if we appeal to common sense, he says, the most important thing is to wear the face mask properly, whatever it is made of: "The first and most important measure is to use the masks we have properly".
The fabric ones protect less... but they do protect
The president of the Catalan Infection Control Nurses Association (Associació Catalana d'Infermeres de Control d'Infecció), Esther Moreno, insists on the importance of not relaxing any of the safety measures. "We give power to the face mask and we forget that the distance and hand washing are also important", she says. In fact, she finds it "alarming" that there is a widespread feeling that only FFP2 masks protect. "This is not true. I feel bad that they say that surgical masks do not protect, because it is what has always protected us health workers".
In reality, the ban on cloth masks depends on more factors. For example, the economic one: a FFP2 face mask costs between two and four euros and a surgical mask about 40 cents, while cloth ones cost about 8 or 10 euros but are reusable. "If we turn a recommendation into an obligation, the Government would have to at least generate aid for the most vulnerable or distribute them free of charge to those who need them", Sagalés says, taking the example of Austria, which has promised to distribute free surgical masks to citizens with lower incomes and those over 65. And another important implication is an environmental one: cloth masks can be cleaned and put in the washing machine, but the waste would be enormous if everyone used surgical masks and FFP2 masks, which have to be changed every few hours.