Following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit to Protea Hotel Ranch Resort yesterday (Sunday) only wearing protective gloves while Minister of Health, Zweli Mkhize wore a face mask, the question is asked whether the use of protective masks, gloves and sanitisers is actually effective.
John Dunlevey, until recently a Professor in the Biodiversity Department of the University of Limpopo, shared his views on this topic with Polokwane Observer.
“Lots of people are talking about wearing a mask and gloves with the frequent uses of a hand sanitiser as the answer to the corona virus. Well, like most things in life, nothing is simple or certain except death and taxation,” Dunlevey reckons.
According to Dunlevey, a mask that does not properly filter the air entering the lungs is of little advantage, especially if the mask does not cover both the nose and mouth. “There is still debate as to the way the virus is transmitted. Certainly the mucus droplets sneezed out by an infected person carry the virus and are dangerous if inhaled, but most of these are quite large (greater than 1/10 mm) and either settle to the ground and other surfaces relatively quickly, or are effectively trapped by simple masks. The possibility of individual virus particles being exhaled is a different matter. An individual virus is between 500 and 1 000 nanometres (less than 1/1 000 000 mm or about 1/500 of the thickness of an average human hair) in size. Particles this small are very difficult to filter out of the air, hence the elaborate filter systems used on biohazard suits,” Dunlevey explains.
“Gloves prevent virus particles from making contact with the skin of the hands, but our skin is quite a good virus and bacteria barrier, unless you have open cuts or sores. Although a barrier safeguarding the skin, gloves can, like your hands, transport the virus. If you touch your mouth, nose or eyes with a glove that has the virus on it is the same as if you touched it with a virus carrying hand. Also, putting gloves on and taking them off can transfer the virus to your hands and from the outside to the inside surface,” Dunlevey adds.
“Hand sanitizer usually contain isopropyl alcohol and soaps to kill and remove germs. At 60 % + alcohol, as recommended, this is very effective germ killer but it is also quite a strong dehydrating agent. If you have been using a lot of hand sanitiser you will have noticed this, and have likely had to use a moisturising lotion. Using hand sanitiser is more effective than just washing if all of your hand is sanitised. Unfortunately, most times it is just a quick squirt that cleans the palm and does not include the bits between the fingers and the back of the hand. Hand washing can be just as effective, provided you wash properly, but requires more fluid and drying,” says Dunlevey.
“So where does that leave us? Well, there is not certain methods of not picking up the corona virus! The more precautions you take the better, but there are no guarantees. The infection rate can be significantly reduced by the use of masks, gloves and hand sanitiser; but keeping your distance and thinking about where you are and the potential for infection is very important. Also remember it is not just strangers that get infected – family and friends could easily be carriers, so maintain social distance everybody!” he advises.
Story: Barry Viljoen
