Face Mask Usage among Young Polish People during the COVID-19 Epidemic-An Evolving Scenario.

Radomir Reszke,Rafał Białynicki-Birula,Piotr K Krajewski,Marta Szepietowska,Jacek C Szepietowski,Łukasz Matusiak

doi:10.3390/healthcare9060638

Abstract

The usage of face masks has been mandated in many countries in an attempt to diminish the spread of SARS-CoV-2. In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to determine face mask-wearing behaviors and practices in 1173 young Polish people during the second wave of the COVID-19 epidemic in October 2020. The majority of respondents (97.4%) declared that they wore face masks in areas/situations where it is mandatory. The most common types of utilized face masks were cloth masks (47.7%) and surgical masks (47%), followed by respirators (N95/FFP3) (3.2%) and half-face elastomeric respirators (0.9%). Over 38% reported frequently disinfecting their face masks, especially females. Respondents reporting personal atopic predisposition (64.5% vs. 72.1%; p = 0.02) or sensitive skin (65.5% vs. 74.3%; p = 0.005) declared multiple use of face masks less commonly than other individuals. Individuals suffering from facial skin lesions declared disinfecting face masks more commonly (40.8% vs. 34.9%; p = 0.04). Overall, the self-declared utilization of face masks among young people in Poland has improved since the beginning of the epidemic as compared with our previous study. Until the mass vaccination of the public is achieved and government policy is changed, face mask use remains a valuable tool to decrease the transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

Highlights

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, all countries have been subjected to a situation largely unknown previously
The World Health Organization (WHO) and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) recommendations were aimed at the general public and focused on social distancing, hand hygiene, and usage of personal protective equipment (PPE) [4,5]
23% declared that they wear face masks “often” or “always” in areas or situations where it is not mandatory

Summary

Introduction

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, all countries have been subjected to a situation largely unknown previously. April 2021), the number of confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection exceeds 146.8 million worldwide, with over 3.1 million confirmed deaths [1]. The epidemic situation remained concerning throughout the entire European Union. The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Poland has exceeded 2.7 million (26 April 2021), claiming at least 65,000 officially reported deaths [2]. Owing to the dominance of airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 between humans [3] and unavailability of a specific vaccine, prophylactic safety precautions instigated by each individual, endorsed and verified by relevant official services, constituted the crucial step to decrease the development of the pandemic in. The World Health Organization (WHO) and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) recommendations were aimed at the general public and focused on social distancing, hand hygiene, and usage of personal protective equipment (PPE) [4,5]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion