Does wearing a mask really cause pneumonia?

With the decision ministry of health Spain has once again made the use of masks compulsory in health centers and, as expected, hoaxes about this protective measure have returned. Of course, there are those who claim this is useless and a way to alienate people.But one of the most creative options is those who claim masks cause pneumonia.

They are based on the fact that with continued use of masks, Bacteria, viruses and fungi It can enter the lungs and, once there, cause pneumonia. There are even videos from so-called experts on social networks and WhatsApp chains explaining how this happens. Some are real videos where you can see the bacteria that can proliferate in masks. But one thing was not emphasized. These are overused masks.

When people are asked to use masks, assume they must Use it correctly. To this end, millions of information campaigns have been launched since the start of the pandemic. Through them we try to explain what you should and should not do when using them. But even so, it should be noted that there are no scientific studies or case reports showing that even misuse of masks can cause pneumonia. This has not been found to happen to anyone. But, of course, many people get pneumonia from: COVID-19 or influenza

. You just have to connect the dots.

Why is it false that masks can cause pneumonia?

When used well, masks can remove bacteria or viruses that accumulate inside the mask. Our own bacteria and viruses. That is, they are expelled from our respiratory tract. We cannot be infected by what we are already infected with. Nor can we cause any infection ourselves. microbiota. That is, the microorganisms we live with cannot cause any harm if they are harmless. Those that are not, will not bring us diseases that they have not yet brought to us.For example, if we contract COVID-19, we will not be worse off Because of wearing a mask.

Now, all of this assumes good utilization, and in order to achieve this, two factors must first be considered. The first is not to use the mask for longer than the recommended time. In this case, excess moisture will accumulate inside, which will favor the growth of more microorganisms. At most you should use what the manufacturer specifies.And, furthermore, if you see Very wet or damagedit must be discarded first.

Now, during the pandemic, almost no one is following this guideline.The hospitals are not yet filled with cases like this bacterial pneumonia. This is yet another example of how bold the claim that masks cause pneumonia is.

The second factor that must be considered is Hand hygiene and the mask itself

. It is recommended to wash hands before placing it to prevent microorganisms from outside the respiratory tract from coming into contact with it. Additionally, it should be stored in suitable containers that do not accumulate moisture and allowed to air out in the home after short-term use. If placed directly in a pocket or bag, a lot of bacteria can accumulate. But then again, a lot of people do. This does not mean they will develop pneumonia.

What do the experts say?

If masks don’t actually cause pneumonia, why are there videos of scientists talking about microorganisms that can proliferate inside masks?

There are several logical answers to this question we ask ourselves.First of all, many videos are Taken out of context. That said, these scientists showed that microorganisms can proliferate on masks over time to increase awareness of their proper use. They never talk about pneumonia caused by proper mask use.

On the other hand, we cannot be sure that these people are scientists. But even if they are, that doesn’t mean we should believe everything they say.We will fall into a situation called authority bias, we saw a lot during the epidemic. People in science careers claim that vaccines or masks contain graphene, among many other claims without scientific evidence.

Scientists also make mistakes, or may have interests that lead them to make these claims. What is clear is that we cannot be guided by what someone says, but by what the scientific community concludes through extensive research. As far as masks are concerned, Spanish Pulmonary Society

For example, was one of the first companies to make claims about its effectiveness. If there was a real risk of pneumonia from using it, they wouldn’t make such a statement.

So, yes, masks are safe. If this pandemic actually works and teaches us to use them appropriately when we have symptoms, then we don’t have to accept government mandates. If people with symptoms don’t use them, protect vulnerable groupswe will have to use them all.

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