COVID-19 is a respiratory infection caused by Corona virus that first occurred in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. COVID-19 is transmitted when saliva droplets of an infected person penetrate the mucous membrane of the respiratory system or eye, nose and mouth. If infected, respiratory symptoms such as fever (37.5 degrees) and coughing or difficulty breathing occur after 2 to 14 days (estimated) of the incubation period. Pneumonia appears to be the main symptom, but there are rare cases of no symptoms.

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (as from March 5), the cumulative number of COVID-19 patients in Korea was 5,776. Currently, the vaccine or treatment of COVID-19 needs to be developed and our efforts are needed to prevent the virus. To prevent COVID-19, wash your hands thoroughly under running water for more than 30 seconds, and follow the preventive rules such as wearing a mask when going out or stopping by a medical institution.

We can use a mask that is chosen by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety which is divided into KF80, KF94, and KF99 grades. If the number is high, the effect of blocking fine particles is great, but it is difficult to breathe due to the low oxygen penetration rate. Since the size of the droplets are more than 5 mm (micrometers), it is possible to use a normal mask instead of a mask that filters fine particles (KF94 and KF80). It is also helpful to use a cloth-based mask for cold weather. When you wear a mask to prevent the virus, wearing it is more important than its type.

There is a correct method of wearing masks suggested by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Before wearing a mask, you should wash your hands with soap under running water and cover your mouth and nose completely with a mask, so that there is no gap between your face and your mask. One of the mistakes many people make is to reuse the mask by putting towels or tissues inside the mask, which is not reusable because the surface of the mask serves to prevent contamination of our respiratory system.

Wearing a mask became necessary when going out to the street, and no one could be found without a mask. In places where people are concentrated and air circulation is poor, it is recommended to wear masks. Be careful not to contaminate the inside of the mask, and do not touch the mask that may have been contaminated while it is in use. You should also only grab the strap when removing the mask.

Wearing a mask correctly begins with washing hands. Due to the Daegu National University being located in Gyeongsan, where the number of COVID-19 patients is increasing rapidly, it is necessary to wash your hands often and wear a mask correctly.

L.L.F reporter Su-Hyeon Heo