Do face masks really protect you from germs?
This is sure a good time to be in the business of selling masks. You see pictures of people around the world wearing them. But will they give you added protection or just a false sense of security?
Dr. John Santa, director of the Health Rating Center at Consumer Reports, says the best time to use face masks are when there's a sick person in the house.
"Somebody with the flu, folks taking care of them, masks at this point are probably a reasonable thing to do," he said.
What about wearing a mask when you're walking down the street or just going to the grocery store?
"Their effectiveness overall in situations like that is fairly low and are probably best used in a crowded train or public transportation of that sort," Santa said.
And not every mask will do the job.
"They've got to fit tightly. They've got to be a good quality mask that sometimes have to be changed frequently, depending on how warm it is and what you're doing so that they fit tightly and they filter the air well," said Santa.
Any mask you buy should be approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and N-95 or higher.
Santa says the best thing most of us can do is wash our hands regularly. By that he means: before and after you interact with people, before and after you prepare food and before and after you're touching things other people have touched.
You want to wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. To time yourself, sing the "ABC Song."
Consumer Reports says alcohol gel sanitizers such as Purell are effective, but soap and water works just fine.
For More Information:
The right mask can help prevent swine flu
Dr. John Santa, director of the Health Rating Center at Consumer Reports, says the best time to use face masks are when there's a sick person in the house.
"Somebody with the flu, folks taking care of them, masks at this point are probably a reasonable thing to do," he said.
What about wearing a mask when you're walking down the street or just going to the grocery store?
"Their effectiveness overall in situations like that is fairly low and are probably best used in a crowded train or public transportation of that sort," Santa said.
And not every mask will do the job.
"They've got to fit tightly. They've got to be a good quality mask that sometimes have to be changed frequently, depending on how warm it is and what you're doing so that they fit tightly and they filter the air well," said Santa.
Any mask you buy should be approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and N-95 or higher.
Santa says the best thing most of us can do is wash our hands regularly. By that he means: before and after you interact with people, before and after you prepare food and before and after you're touching things other people have touched.
You want to wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. To time yourself, sing the "ABC Song."
Consumer Reports says alcohol gel sanitizers such as Purell are effective, but soap and water works just fine.
For More Information:
The right mask can help prevent swine flu