The European Center for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) says that gauze masks are not considered to help combat corona virus, and they do not recommend using cloth masks in place of medical masks.
In the document released on March 26, the ECDC made recommendations regarding the use of cloth masks to protect health workers in clinical settings in the context of a shortage of masks due to disease.
The document is clearly available to public health authorities and hospital leaders in European and UK countries.
In particular, there is ample evidence that cloth masks are not as well protected as medical masks, and may even increase the risk of infection due to moisture, fluid infiltration and the ability to store viruses.
Not to mention, one study found that 40 to 90 percent of fine dust passes through a cloth mask.
In a randomized controlled trial, medical personnel wearing gauze masks had significantly higher incidences of flu-like illnesses and viral illnesses compared to health workers using medical masks.
In general, normal cloth masks are not considered to protect against respiratory viruses, and ECDC discourages the use of surgical masks instead of medical masks.
But in the context of a shortage of masks because of the current COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) consider home-made cloth masks as a last resort (only used when there is no mask. medical care) as well as a temporary solution until a standard medical mask is available for replacement.
The shortage of medical masks will continue for a long time, so cloth masks are necessary and necessary at this time.