Headquartered near Chicago, Medline has manufacturing and
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The dramatically rising demand for masks is also affectin
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"We are definitely seeing higher demand for face masks,"
____________________________________________________________
The run on face masks is worrying officials like Safdar.
____________________________________________________________
A The risk for becoming infected with 2019-nCoV remains low
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globe is invisible to the naked eye, but one of its effects is
increasingly conspicuous on sidewalks, public transit and doctors'
offices around the world: the widespread use of face masks.
Whether a disposable type like those that healthcare workers wear in
operating rooms or a reusable variety, masks that cover a wearer's nose
and mouth are a go-to piece of apparel for many people hoping to avoid
respiratory disease, whether a common cold, influenza or a novel virus
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After 2019-nCoV was confirmed in a patient in Dane County on Feb. 5,
2020, many Wisconsinites may be wondering: Should my family and I be
wearing face masks?
For the vast majority of people in most situations, the answer from
public health and medical professionals in the state is clear: There is
generally no need to wear face masks in response to the novel
coronavirus's presence in Wisconsin. However, there are some important
exceptions to this advice. Let's break it down.
Face masks can be a useful tool for limiting the spread of some
respiratory diseases in specific settings, but their utility is
limited, explained Dr. Nasia Safdar, an infectious diseases physician
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Safdar said there are three things to consider when weighing whether to
wear a face mask: the setting, who is wearing the mask and what kind of
mask is being worn.
In terms of settings, Safdar mentioned only one in which members of the
public should consider wearing a face mask: a clinic or hospital. And
even then, she said only patients with respiratory symptoms like a
cough may be asked to wear a mask — typically a disposable
surgical-type mask.
Disposable masks can help reduce the risk that a symptomatic person
will spread a respiratory infection via droplets that disperse when
they cough or sneeze. While these masks are not totally effective in
containing potentially infectious droplets, they provide better
protection than no face protection, Safdar said. However, she added
that wearing a mask should not be considered a substitute for hygiene
that reduces the spread of respiratory pathogens, like proper and
frequent hand washing.
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undiagnosed respiratory symptoms and a travel history or relationship
that puts them at higher risk for 2019-nCoV will likely choose to wear
a more protective N95 mask. These masks fit much more tightly around a
wearer's face and can keep up to 95% of microscopic particles out.
They're also very uncomfortable to wear and not recommended for most
people.
"An N95 mask is really a respirator," Safdar said. "It's much more
effective than a regular mask, but it gives a tight seal around the
face and it's difficult to tolerate for long periods."
ehpien (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
The N95 style medical mask provides a higher level of protection than
the more common tissue or cloth surgical mask.
On the other end of the spectrum, one type of widely available mask
that Safdar said no one should wear under any circumstance is a
reusable fabric mask. Such masks, which are often marketed toward
adolescents and children and may feature branded designs, are more
fashionable pieces of apparel than medically sound tools.
"I think they are very problematic," Safdar said. That's because
reusable masks are easily contaminated and very difficult to properly
clean. As such, wearing a reusable mask may actually raise the risk of
developing a respiratory disease.
So if masks are only recommended for use in healthcare settings, and
even then only for certain symptomatic individuals, what should
Wisconsin residents make of a situation should they encounter others
wearing face masks in public?
Safdar said scientific evidence does not show that healthy individuals
should wear masks as a prophylactic in public settings.
"The value of wearing a mask is really uncertain there," she said. At
the same time, there is evidence that masks can get contaminated, often
from wearers' hands as they put them on and adjust them.
A pedestrian wears a surgical mask while walking along a street in
Macau, a special administrative region of China.
Macau Photo Agency/Unsplash
For these reasons, Safdar said UW Health's recommendations for the use
of face masks in light of the novel coronavirus mirror those from the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health
Organization. She added that the only asymptomatic individuals who
might consider wearing a face mask are those quarantined at home with a
household member who is confirmed to have the disease. Still, the WHO
advises that people should not be alarmed if they see others wearing
masks in public settings because cultural practices surrounding the use
of masks differ around the world.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison's University Health Services has
similarly advised the campus community that some healthy individuals
may choose to wear face masks in public.
"University Health Services bases its guidance to the campus community
on the guidance coming from the CDC and World Health Organization, who
do not advise people without symptoms to wear masks," wrote Kelsey
Anderson, a health communications specialist at the university, in an
email to WisContext.
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Anderson added that "We also understand that cultural practices differ
and that on our diverse campus, some members of the community who are
not sick feel more comfortable wearing a mask."
Based on reports from retailers and manufacturers of face masks, that
many healthy individuals in Wisconsin and around the world are indeed
choosing to wear, or at least purchase, the masks.
Some stores, including in Wisconsin, have at times sold out of masks
amid the rising demand.
"I can confirm that we have been seeing greater demand for certain
products, such as face masks and hand sanitizers, in many of our
stores," said Alex Brown, a spokesperson for the drugstore chain
Walgreens. Brown said she could not share data about demand within
specific markets, but multiple Walgreens stores in Madison were sold
out of surgical-style face masks at various points in early February
2020.
Kristian Knutsen
A Walgreens in Madison is sold out of medical face masks, with a sign
noting that sales are limited to five boxes per customer.
At a global level, suppliers of face masks have reported a surge in
demand for all types, and the WHO has warned of the potential for a
shortage in at least some markets. Of particular concern within the
industry is that global demand for masks is spiking while most of
China's factories remain offline due to the novel coronavirus outbreak.
Some manufacturers in China that typically produce other products have
turned their production over to face masks and other medical supplies,
while manufacturers in Europe and North America race to meet demand.
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Hartland, a suburb of Milwaukee. Rubenstein indicated that Medline "may
see a potential reduction in capacity or delayed shipments" for face
masks and other personal protective equipment. She said the company is
looking at how it can temporarily reconfigure its global supply chain
until Chinese manufacturers are able to kick back into high gear.
The dramatically rising demand for masks is also affecting some
Wisconsin-based businesses. Among them is Safety-Med Products, a
medical supplies distributor in Burlington.
"We are definitely seeing higher demand for face masks," said Chris
Wagner, a national sales manager at the company. "We're just swamped
here," he said.
The run on face masks is worrying officials like Safdar. She's
concerned about a shortage affecting healthcare workers' ability to
protect themselves.
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of the cases examined were acquired at a hospital. A separate report
indicated that a single patient infected more than a dozen healthcare
workers. The evidence underscores the need for proper masks and other
personal protective equipment in clinics and hospitals.
"We want to preserve masks for times and settings that they're really
needed," Safdar said.
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3 articles
The Novel Coronavirus, Face Masks And When To Use Them
COVID-19, Face Masks And Why More Wisconsinites Are Wearing Them
Face Masks, Wisconsin's Pandemic Politics And The Limits Of Persuasion
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