Health authorities will require mandatory use of masks in health centers: which masks provide the best protection

Cases of influenza and other respiratory infections continue to increase. According to the latest data from the Surveillance System for Acute Respiratory Infections (SiVIRA) of the Carlos III Health Institute, Number of people hospitalized with flu increased by 60% in one weekThere were 9.5 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, an increase of 3.6 percentage points from the previous week and an upward trend since the end of October. The global acute respiratory infection rate in primary care was 952.9 cases per 100,000 cases in the last week of December, much higher than the 533.4 cases registered at the beginning of the month.

In view of the increase in cases, the Ministry of Health will require the community to make the use of face masks compulsory in health and social care centers on Monday, a measure that will be temporarily implemented but will remain in place. influenza epidemic peak period and other respiratory viruses, and decrees have been issued Catalonia, Valencia and Murcia

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This was announced by Health Minister Monica García, who will convey this request to MPs within the framework of an extraordinary plenary meeting of the Council. interregional committee on national health systemsA “unified standard” will be held tomorrow Monday to coordinate measures to deal with the resurgence of respiratory viruses.

Situation improves as health centers wear masksIndicators that fell six months agoOn July 5, 2023, the Bank of England published an agreement from the Council of Ministers, whereby the use of the drug is no longer mandatory in health and social care centres, services and pharmacies.Despite the government’s measures during the COVID-19 pandemic Enact laws regulating the use of masksdecide whether to implement its mandatory use This is the “responsibility” of the autonomous regionAs Minister Monica García admitted, she offered the support of her department to “coordinate” the measure, but respected the exercise of regional powers.

In which communities will its use be mandatory?

In addition to the regions of Catalonia, Valencia and Murcia, the Aragonese government has also partially approved the measure, as This obligation only applies to health professionals and care in social care centres. Madrid is the community least willing to make the use of masks mandatory in health centers, but it has ruled out imposing such a measure. Therefore, under this autonomy, the use of health centres, hospitals and social health centers will be “recommended and voluntary”.

Other communities such as andalusia They said that while they had agreed to speed up vaccinations, they would wait for recommendations from the territorial council and anyone who wanted to Get flu and COVID-19 vaccines No date. Castilla-La Mancha also announced that a decision would be taken “by experts”, while the Canary Islands and Cantabria awaited conclusions between the territories.

Communities such as La Rioja, Asturias, Galicia, Castile and León or Navarra currently prefer this proposal, and in some cases, such as regional communities, they consider it The obligations represent a regulatory adjustment that “must be studied in depth”. So far, the Basque Country has also chosen to recommend this mask. The Ministry of Health acknowledged that the health system was strained at a “moment of overload” but denied there was a collapse and therefore saw no need for drastic measures.

and in balearic islands Only recommended for people with respiratory symptoms. The Association of Family Medicine, the Spanish Society of Emergency Medicine (SEMES) and the Federation of Societies Defending Public Health (FADSP) all support the mandatory use of masks in health centres, and the associations have even suggested extending the obligation to public transport and poorly ventilated spaces.

Which mask has the best protective effect?

surgical mask: They filter the air we exhale and prevent large droplets of liquid (such as saliva) from coming into contact with the interlocutor. Surgical masks do not protect against the air we breathe in and are not suitable for preventing infection.

self filtering mask: They filter the air we breathe in from outside. They retain pathogens such as viruses or bacteria.exist three types Approved FFP (Filtering FacePiece) masks: FFP1, FFP2 and FFP3. N95 is also known as and follows US NIOSH approval, while KN95 is its equivalent and complies with Chinese standards.

The most suitable way to prevent virus infection is a mask respiratory protection, andEspecially FFP2, FFP3 and N95 or KN95.