JOIN USFace masks can be worn during morning walk or exercise: ICMR
Face masks can be worn during exercises and morning walks as they don’t lower the oxygen levels in the blood, ICMR chief Balram Bhargava said here on Tuesday, countering unsubstantiated claims on the dangerous effects of such protective clothing while exercising.
“Masks can be worn during morning walks and exercises as scientific data shows no change in the oxygen level in the blood,” said Bhargava, director-general of the Indian Council of Medical Research.
The assurance comes in the wake of multiple scientific studies demonstrating the safety and efficacy of the protective face cover.
One such study carried out by the researchers at McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association last week concluded that face mask was not associated with a decline in oxygen saturation even in participants whose age were 65 years and above.
There are several other studies documenting how masks can prevent the cough droplets from spreading out. “For communities to reopen safely, control measures to reduce transmission will be needed for some time, including face masks and social distancing,” said a study published in the Lancet in September in which the experts reviewed strategies for easing the restrictions in Europe and Asia-Pacific.
Bhargava and NITI Ayong member V K Paul noted that a combination of wearing masks, avoiding crowds and maintaining social distances in the festival season would be as effective as a vaccine.
On Tuesday, the number of new cases dropped below the 40,000 mark for the second time in the past eight days. With 38,310 new cases, India’s Covid-19 tally goes up to 82.67 lakh while death toll stands at 1,23,097 out of which 490 were added in the past 24 hours.
The Health Ministry officials said Kerala, Delhi, West Bengal and Manipur had been showing an increase in the number of coronavirus infections between October 3 and November 3 while Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh registered a decline in the same period. However, in absolute terms Maharashtra and Karnataka have more number of cases.
Asked about India’s vaccine preparedness, health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said currently 28,000 cold chain points, 700 refrigerated vans and 70,000 vaccinators were available with the government and talks were on with the private sector to further ramp up the capacity.