As the world continues to struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic, wearing masks in public has become the new normal. But if a person is suffering from any chronic respiratory conditions like asthma then covering the mouth with any type of mask can be very challenging.
Not just this but many have raised the question of whether it is safe for an asthma patient to wear a mask. On this, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) said that there is no evidence if wearing a face mask can worsen a person’s asthma.
In general, the national public health agency of the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in its current mask guidance does not explicitly suggest any one type of mask over another. Instead, it stated that people should choose the most protective and well-fitting mask that they can wear consistently.
Recently, the American agency released more detailed information about the differences between the face masks and confirmed that some — like N95— are more protective than others, like cloth and surgical masks. But the physical barrier makes it harder for people with respiratory conditions to breathe and unfortunately this sensation of troubled breathing gets worse as summer approaches.
Conforming the same in a conversation with Hindustan Times, 65-year-old Madhuri Kanga, who has been an asthmatic patient for about seven years, said that switching to the masks during the pandemic was not easy and she felt difficulty in breathing which triggered headaches.
In such scenarios, experts recommend the patients to stay home and added that unless the person has COVID-19 or any member in the family has it, there is no need to wear masks at home.
Staying home is the best precaution as people with respiratory conditions can very easily develop complications if they contract COVID-19. It is best to get groceries and other necessities delivered or have someone else pick them up.
