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Face shields are more safer and effective than cloth masks against coronavirus, say experts

Previous research suggests that face shields effectively stopped the flu virus from entering the body.
PUBLISHED MAY 26, 2020
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

Plastic face shields do a better job of protecting against Covid-19 than homemade masks, according to a group of experts. They are easy to produce and use, making them attractive against the virus that spreads through droplets escaping an infected person.

“I wear a face shield every time I enter a store or other building,” Dr Eli Perencevich, one of the scientists making a case for this piece of equipment, told The New York Times. “Sometimes I also wear a cloth mask if required by the store’s policy," the infectious disease physician at the University of Iowa, added. In a recent JAMA viewpoint, Perencevich and his colleagues wrote, face shields can be quickly and affordably produced and distributed. They can significantly reduce transmission in a community when combined with other strategies such as testing, social distancing, contact tracing, and hand hygiene.

Previous research suggested that face shields effectively stopped the flu virus from entering the body.  The experiment found that this piece of protective equipment reduced exposure to the virus by 96% within 18 inches of a cough.

In Singapore, schools which are set to reopen in phases on June 2, will provide face shields to students. In Pennsylvania, local health experts have recommended them for teachers after schools reopen. Recently, Johns Hopkins University procured 10,000 face shields and N95 masks from China.

How does face shield compare to cloth masks?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended Americans use cloth masks amid medical masks shortages.  "Cloth masks are less effective than medical masks for prevention of communicable respiratory illnesses," the JAMA viewpoint read. Face shields may provide a better option, they added.

Previous research suggests that face shields can effectively stop the flu virus from entering the body. (Getty Images)

"Face shields come in various forms, but all provide a clear plastic barrier that covers the face. For optimal protection, the shield should extend below the chin anteriorly, to the ears laterally, and there should be no exposed gap between the forehead and the shield’s headpiece," they added.

Besides, companies can easily craft face shields from materials found in craft or office supply stores. The experts say that several companies, including Apple, Nike, GM, and John Deere, have all started producing face shields. Face shields are for life--unless damaged.  After every use, wearers will have to sanitize them with soap and water, or common household disinfectants. They are comfortable and lowers the chances of infection as it prevents users from touching their face. What is more, unlike face masks, people do not need to remove face shields to communicate.

But face shields are not invincible. They can fail in a few scenarios. "If you’re facing sideways, or I’m behind you, maybe you’re sitting at a desk and I’m standing, there are other scenarios you can imagine where droplets can come around a face shield,” William Lindsley, a bioengineer at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, told The New York Times.

An expert thinks we have not reached a stage where we can swap face shields with masks yet, according to Saskia Popescu, a senior infection-prevention specialist at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va.

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