Face masks are crucial now in COVID-19 battle: Dr Al Qahtani

TDT | Manama

Wearing face masks or face coverings in public places where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain is critical to combating the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19), a top health official has said.

“In addition to wearing face masks, other health guidelines, including continuous hand washing and social distancing, are equally important,” added Lieutenant-Colonel Dr Manaf Al Qahtani.

Dr Al Qahtani is the Infectious Diseases Consultant and Microbiologist at the BDF Hospital and Member of the National Taskforce for Combating Coronavirus (COVID-19). As per a new guideline, it’s mandatory in Bahrain for all citizens and residents to wear a face mask or an appropriate face-covering whenever they are out in public, starting Thursday.

Home-made masks are allowed, but they should fit comfortably against the side of the face, as outlined on the Ministry of Health’s website. Explaining the decision, Dr Al Qahtani said the move aims at ensuring freedom of movement in light of new findings.

Recent studies have found that a significant portion of individuals with coronavirus lack symptoms (asymptomatic) and that even those who eventually develop symptoms (pre-symptomatic) can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms.

This means that the virus can spread between people interacting in close proximity—for example, speaking, coughing, or sneezing—even if those people are not exhibiting symptoms. “The new precautionary measures are to fight the coronavirus as it evolves,” said Dr Al Qahtani, adding that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has now advised wearing masks at public places.

“The virus is evolving and has transformed into a pandemic, which requires the entire world to face it.” Bahrain, Dr Al Qahtani stressed, is implementing all precautionary and preventive measures required by WHO for the best interests of everyone.

In an earlier statement, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the United States has said that the cloth face coverings recommended are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators. Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders.