The Effect of the Use of Face Mask and Face Shield in the Fight against COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Peter Uteh Upla*, Mfonido Ituen Bassey, Bashiru Sani, Najaâ??atu Shehu Hadi, Yusuf Eshimutu Abu and Janet Chukwu Gabriel

The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a highly contagious virus that has threatened global health and the world economy. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of the use of a face mask and face shield in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic. Face mask and face shields were procured in a tailoring shop in Lafia. The materials were transported to the laboratory for sampling. Result obtained shows that the use of a face mask with face shield limits the spread of COVID-19. No bacterial growth was recorded in all plates when the face mask and face shield was worn simultaneously. On the use of only face mask, bacterial growths were recorded in a distance of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 metre respectively. While in talking, no bacterial growth was recorded in a distance of 2.0 metres. In sneezing and coughing, few bacterial growths were recorded in all distance which range between 1.5 ± 0.7-7 ± 1.4 mean values. On the use of only face shield, few bacterial growths were recorded in all distance both in talking, sneezing and coughing. The mean values range between 1.5 ± 0.7-13.5 ± 2.1. When the face mask and shield were not used, the result obtained shows that the number of bacterial growths were too numerous to count (TNTC) in a distance of 0.5 metre when sneezing and coughing. In a distance of 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 meters, the number of bacterial growth recorded range between 4.5 ± 0.7-182 ± 2.8. The use of face mask with face shield simultaneously as well as keeping to a distance of 1.5-2 metres is highly recommended to limit the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.