Prevention is better than cure.
A mask is a must in this COVID-19 scenario. Reports reveal that the current situation is going to continue till 2024. It is evident that to slow down the rate of spread of not only corona virus but also other diseases can be prevented with the help of masks. It has been a cause of great concern that use of surgical masks worldwide, made of polythene fibres, put pressure on planet but rather than looking at the threats it posses one must also look at the other alternatives available.
After considering the threats and the pollution caused by surgical masks, cotton cloth face mask become more popular. Instead of surgical masks, even various government and international organisations came up promoting face maks other than fibre masks.
The impact of COVID-19 on most of the economies are really bad. It has long term consequences too. One such issue was loss of employment, especially unskilled labourers lost out in this pandemic. However, new opportunities also brought by corona virus. Cloth face mask was one among the opportunity. Various NGOs insisted the use of face mask, sanitizer in public gatherings to prevent the spread of virus.
Since the implicit cost of fibre masks are higher, people began to use cloth mask for their daily purposes. Plethora of people got engaged in stitching masks to find their daily bread. A lot of women stitched and sold face masks locally. These people used non useful cloths from shops. The need and demand for masks shoot up heavily. The people, specifically poor utilised the opportunity available to them. In a lot of families women became the bread winner at least for some point in time. Even government came forward and took the initiative to support the local made masks and helped to circulate the masks nationwide. Some countries also exported masks as means to raise the income of people and thereby country.
Cloth face mask prevents the entering of certain types of virus to human body. It isn’t completely safe as surgical mask. Mask can also be used as a way to escape from rising pollution. In certain highly polluted countries people people use masks in their normal course of life.
Face masks should be promoted by government and other organisations because of several reasons. It provides employment to the poor. Lot of unused fabric materials are used or reuse of fabric happens here. Ultimately there will be decrease in garbage and the associated pollution. Face masks are good for people who has low lung capacity. It prevents the contaminants present in air from entering the human body. Support of government and people are needed to realise the dream of poor. It is case how people can become self-reliant even in a worst situation like pandemic.
Another fact that must be noted is that certain studies prooved that cloth face masks are not necessarily helpful in the way it is meant to be. Surgical mask is the one, which serves the purpose. One must also look at the environment pressure surged by COVID-19 pandemic. The use of PPE kits, gloves, mask deliberately will increase the pressure on the earth. Additionally if surgical masks are produced at large scale to meet the demand by population of the world, piled on top on other wastes, the planet could become really stressful.
Considering both benefits and shortcomings of cloth face masks, mankind cannot be selfish here but they have to consider the nature we live in. In such a situation cloth face masks turns out to be better.
To recapitulate, increased use of surgical mask put a lot of pressure on environment and government for their disposal. Cloth mask can be considered as a solution to this issue. Government must encourage the production and use of cloth masks as it is handy washable and reusable. These face masks can improve the health status of people not only by preventing the spread of corona virus but also from the threats raised by air pollution.
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