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- A recently published article in The Journal of the American Medical Association, argued that a face shield could better help reduce the transmission of the coronavirus.
- An infectious disease physician argues that a face shield could better reduce your chance of transmission as it covers your mouth, nose, and eyes from bacteria, liquid droplets and aerosols.
- So let’s look at the pros and cons of masks versus face shields.
In an effort to flatten the curve, face masks or cloth coverings have been required in major cities across the globe. Some experts are now arguing that shields could be more effective than masks. Would you make the switch if the number of pros outweighed those of masks?
Let's take a look.
Senior Johns Hopkins scholar, Dr Amesh Adalja, breaks down the pros and cons of each as follows:
Masks
Made from Canva
Face shields
Made from Canva
A 2014 cough simulation by the National Library of Medicine found a shield could reduce a user's viral exposure by 96% when worn within 45cm of someone who's coughing.
There are, however, drawbacks to the shield. First, research is limited - it's unclear how effective shields actually are.
READ MORE: Is it shallow to make a case for more 'fashionable' protective cloth masks?
Secondly, shields do not seal the entire face. Contaminants may still enter your system if droplets are released behind or to the side. Ultimately, the jury is still out on this one.
It's also worth noting that people who have been wearing face shields, have been doing so in conjunction with masks too, so it would appear that shields are still not trusted to completely prevent exposure on their own.
But there's another question we'd like to pose in this discussion. If it is the case that face shields are more effective than masks, would this encourage you to start punctuating your face with makeup again?
Before you dismiss this as a frivolous question, a case was made for more fashionable cloth masks and it was won. On what premise?
On the premise that self-expression is an outlet many are looking to at a time when we're all pretty much required to protect ourselves to prevent actual death. And for some, makeup - even if it's just a bold shade of lipstick - is their primary creative outlet, which they probably haven't had an opportunity to make full use of since the pandemic. As The Cut put it with regards to trendier masks, it's a way to "feel like an individual person and not just a potential vector of disease."
Personally, I would. Red lipstick has been a part of my signature look for years, and since Covid hit us, I haven't been able to add that touch unless it's for an odd photo (taken indoors) here and there. On some days, though, I do pull out my brushes and wear a full face of makeup to not only brighten up my face, but also my day.
Maybe you would too, much like this model spotted in Barcelona this month.
Photo by Miquel Benitez/Getty Images
Let us know in the poll below:
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