Renowned Cancer Surgeon & National President of India Health Line with more than 10,000 Specialist Doctors as members serving needy & poor patients, Dr Pravin Togadia has shared a clinically accurate view on the usage of Masks & Face Shields. According to Dr Togadia, anybody can get Corona infection via air if some Corona positive patient is nearby (at least less than 1 meter distance) then through the air, Coronavirus can enter via mouth or nose to throat. If a person keeps himself away with more than 1 meter distance & uses mask PLUS face shield, he will be protected against corona infection via air route.

He said that route to enter Coronavirus in the body is through eyes, nose, mouth and to some extent ears. Except for these routes, Coronavirus cannot enter in our body. After entering our body through eyes, nose or mouth Coronavirus settles in the throat and ultimately reaches our lungs.Second route to get infected from coronavirus is, if a person touches any surface e.g. table, chair, mobile or any surface which is infected with Coronavirus, then Coronavirus comes with the fingertips and if that person touches his face then Coronavirus reaches his face and through face, it can enter via eyes, mouth and nose, throat and then lungs.If a proper Face Shield is used, a person will not be able to touch his face by habit. So, he will be protected from Coronavirus through fingertips route Dr Togadia elaborated.

Coronavirus is aggressively spreading around the world. People are using masks, PPE, kits, etc. to avoid the coronavirus infection. Most Governments have made it mandatory to wear masks. But there is also a discussion that a face shield is more effective along with a mask in terms of safe usage and can help prevent corona even eminent health experts is in America, Singapore etc. are recommending the usage of a face shield on the mask.

The use of plastic face shields can help reduce the spread of infection, Dr. Perenswich, an Infection Disease Doctor at the University of Iowa has said in an interview given to New York Times.

This is not just an idea. Students and teachers in Singapore will be given masks and face shields once the schools reopen next month. Health experts in Philadelphia recommended that all teachers and students coming to schools should wear face shields as soon as schools reopen. Boston based Women's Hospital’s dermatologist

Another eminent health expert Dr. Sherrie has stated the coronavirus droplets float in the air, so it is very important to protect our eyes as well as the whole face.

Another key advantage of wearing a face shield is that it can be sterilized and cleaned. It can be used until it breaks or cracks. Face Shield can also be cleared by cleaning it with alcohol-based sanitizers or by washing it with soap to make it infection-free.

Dr. Perenswich is in the opinion that the face shield protects the entire face, including the eyes. It protects the face from repeated touching. It is also easy to wear with glasses, cap or turban. It surrounds some parts of the head while the mask can cover the nose and mouth only. The cloth or material used in masks causes repeated itching on the face. Many people wear masks incorrectly. People keep fixing the mask again and again. They remove the mask while talking, which increases the risk of infection.

Many doctors in India are having different opinions in this regard. Dr Togadia states that there is no doubt that the infection does not spread with the mask but it gives more than the infection, the one who bears it if the mask is not used properly. Still, people do not take it seriously. Disposable masks are worn around for several days. Also, people still lack awareness of how to wear a mask. Secondly, especially in young children or patients with asthma cannot wear the mask all the time. Therefore, a face shield is a better way to avoid infection.

On the other hand, while the cloth mask prevents the infection from spreading, it does not protect from infection via eyes the one who wears it. According to research done on Cough Simulation, if you wear a mask & above that a face shield and if someone coughs even 18 inches away, the risk of getting affected by the virus is reduced by 96 percent.