Department of Health denies claim that sheet masks do not protect against Omicron

The Department of Public Health has insisted that cloth face masks can offer protection against the Omicron variant – provided they are worn correctly. Dr Supakit Sirilak was responding to a statement from the Covid-19 Information Center that cited data from Dr Leana Wen of the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University.

Wen, who is a doctor and professor of health policy and management at the university, says cloth masks are virtually useless against the highly contagious variant. She recommends that people wear 3-layer medical masks instead. But Thailand’s health ministry disagrees.

According to a Thai report from PBS World, Supakit claims that sheet masks can protect against the highly contagious variant, provided they are worn correctly and are made of muslin. He says that many types of fabric have been tested in the medical sciences and health services departments and muslin comes out on top for protection. Supakit says it’s because the muslin can prevent droplets from passing through and is reusable.

“The Omicron (variant) is not smaller than the other variants and it doesn’t just float in the air. It is emitted during coughing and sneezing as droplets, between 5 and 6 microns in size.

However, Supakit stresses that to be effective, sheet masks must be worn correctly and cover both the nose and the mouth.

THE SOURCE: Thai PBS World

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