An IIT Madras graduate, Deekshit initiated work on the startup after working in an Indo-German project on air pollution technologies

As we embraced 2020, little did we know what is before us to deal with? Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19 and SARS-CoV 2 that emerged in Wuhan, China has taken over the world. Today, it has been declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organization. And it is claiming many lives across the globe.

Presenting a new challenge for the global healthcare industry, COVID-19 is keeping the medical experts on their toes day-in and day-out. So far, the only solution for non-affected people is to quarantine themselves and maintain social distancing to avoid contagion.

Concerned authorities have issued various guidelines to spread awareness on how to keep oneself safe and maintain cleanliness. Washing hands frequently, using alcohol-based hand rub, and using face mask have become a common practice. However, the effectiveness of using a mask as a preventive measure has become a global debate.

Can wearing a mask help fight against COVID-19? What kind of mask is more effective? And more questions are baffling people across the world. Various types of masks have flooded the commercial markets which are being bought in bulk up-front.

Many households with no access to commercially available masks have also come up with

"jugaadu"masks made with readily available handkerchiefs or cotton clothes. We will address three critical aspects of wearing masks – are masks effective in preventing COVID-19? And which mask should be used and why?

Can masks prevent COVID-19?

Wearing a mask can protect one from coming in direct contact with virus-infected aerosol particles that are responsible for transmitting Coronavirus. These particles, when entered via mouth, eyes and ears, can potentially attack the respiratory system of a person.

Hence, a face mask can obstruct the particles to enter the mouth and nose. However, wearing a mask will not be effective if the person is not washing hands or using hand sanitizer frequently. Wearing masks, along with other hygiene routines, improves the effectiveness of face masks.

Jeremy Howard, a research scientist at the University of San Francisco and owner of fast.ai, conducted a study and found that 34 scientific papers support the idea of using DIY masks to 'flatten the curve'

Type of mask to wear and why?

It has been found that the virus that results in COVID-19 can remain stable on solid surfaces and in aerosols for several hours. The life of the virus varies depending upon the nature of the surface. For instance, the virus can live on a cardboard surface for up to 24 hours and in the air for up to 3 hours. Therefore, the virus is airborne, but the chances of catching it from the atmosphere are slim. These chances can be further reduced by wearing a mask. WHO emphasis that 'you only need to wear a mask if you are taking care of a person with the suspected 2019-nCoV infection.' And other experts claim that the most effective masks are N95 & N99 respirators. They seal the nose and mouth sections completely.

Also, they are multi-layered that can captivate and restrict the movement of the virus. However, it should be noted that even earing a basic mask in public places can help in avoiding virus transmission. Jeremy Howard, a research scientist at the University of San Francisco and owner of fast.ai, conducted a study and found that 34 scientific papers support the idea of using DIY masks to 'flatten the curve.' Some other studies also indicate the wearing a surgical mask is more effective than DIY masks.