Why City Dwellers May Continue Wearing Masks After COVID-19

The world welcomed fantastic news in November, when it was reported that not one, not two but three total COVID-19 vaccines had been found to have major success in leading to immunity from the deadly and highly contagious virus. Find why you still need to continue wearing masks after COVID-19.

For the first time in nearly a year, it seems like the world could soon return to a sense of normalcy after having to deal with lockdowns, business closures, wearing PPE in and around the house and social distancing.

With that being said, though the day that COVID-19 is a thing of the past may be coming in the relatively near future, there are still going to be a lot of important reasons why you may want to continue wearing masks.

That is especially true for the millions and millions of people who call cities home all over the United States and the rest of the world. 

Click here are the top reasons why you should continue wearing masks in cities after the novel coronavirus comes to an end!

They will still protect you from getting sick

Whenever you are in cramped places such as an airplane, a city elevator, a metro train, or a bustling museum, you are more at risk of catching nasty viruses such as the flu, common cold, or yes, COVID-19. Just because COVID-19 comes to an end doesn’t mean that you will not want to remain healthy as often as possible. 

The truth is that wearing masks when you are in busy and new places is a great way to make sure that you do not have to lose out on half of your vacation because you are dealing with fever, aches, or an upset stomach. 

While it will certainly be a wonderful day when whether or not we want to wear a mask does not have to be a life or death decision, masking up when you are surrounded by tons of people is never, ever a bad idea! 

It’s common courtesy

People in the western world used to think it was somewhat strange when they would see tourists from countries like Japan, Korea and China wearing masks in the airport or on public transportation. The truth is that this practice has been common for many years for more than one reason.

While wearing a mask does of course protect the wearer from possible inhaling pathogens, wearing a mask is also seen as a common courtesy. If someone is sick with the cold or a slight fever, they will often wear a mask to try to ensure that they do not get anyone that they come in contact with.

Air pollution

Perhaps the top reason why city dwellers may want to seriously consider making a mask a part of their daily routine even after COVID-19 ends is because of the huge levels of air pollution that exists in cities. There are a lot of different reasons why air pollution exists on a massive scale in cities, which the primary reasons being that cities are typically far more packed with cars and other vehicles that use fossil fuels to operate. 

Whether you are walking from place to place, exercising in a big city, or riding a bike to get from work to home, wearing a mask will help you protect yourself from short-term and long-term effects of air pollution.

Overall, air pollution is made up of particles and gases. The gases typically include ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and more. While some masks do very little when it comes to helping protect from air pollution. 

The truth is that the very best mask that you can wear to protect yourself from all kinds of air pollutants are N96 and KN95 masks along with other types of masks that come with respirators and air filters. While they may be quite difficult to come by during COVID-19, chances are good they will become far more accessible once the pandemic is brought under control or comes to an end entirely.

The reason why this is so important is because air pollution really can have lasting health impacts on people. Obviously it can be incredibly harmful to those who deal with respiratory issues such as asthma or bronchitis, but it can also lead to serious and even life ending illnesses such as the following: 

• Heart disease
• Lung cancer
• Emphysema

Air pollution can also have an impact on people’s”

• Nervous system
• Brain
• Kidneys
• Liver

Some scientists also believe that air pollution can have a major impact on babies in utero and can lead to serious birth defects in infants. On average, it is estimated that about 2.5 million people die worldwide every single year as a result of the effects of outdoor and indoor pollution. 

How to choose a mask for air filtration

If you are curious about how to find a great mask to protect yourself against air pollution, consider these two factors, below:

1. Find a mask with high filtration efficiency against hazardous air pollutants

While no mask is going to hurt you when it comes to defending against air pollution, there are certainly types of masks that are better suited for the job. Overall, you will want to target masks that are able to protect against particulate matter, specifically PM2.5 or “fine particulates,” which are a microscopic that are <2.5 microns in diameter. The reason why this size is important to keep in mind is because anything this size can penetrate deeply into the human body and even the human bloodstream, which can lead to some of the scariest illnesses mentioned above.

2. Find a mask with an airtight fit

The other most important factor to look out for is a mask that offers an airtight fit around your nose and mouth. This makes sure that pollution is not seeping in through something that isn’t airtight. If your mask is not airtight, is it basically useless against harmful microns.

If you are looking for a great mask to protect against COVID-19, other illnesses or air pollution, head to 72hours.ca to find the best mask for you! 

Stay healthy out there!