• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Zippy Facts Logo

Zippy Facts

Interesting Random Facts

  • Animals
  • Culture
  • Firsts
  • Food
  • Geography
  • Health
  • History
  • Inventions
  • Language
  • Mythology
  • Odds
  • People
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Space
  • Universe
  • World
You are here: Home / Science / Are face masks to keep from getting a cold or other infection or is it to keep from spreading one?

Are face masks to keep from getting a cold or other infection or is it to keep from spreading one?

March 17, 2020 by Karen Hill

Polite East Asian people with a cold may wear a mask with the aim of preventing its spread; this is especially common in Japan.

In China, the idea may be to cut down infection or it may be a reaction to high levels of visible pollution; in some of China’s industrial areas, masks are worn simply in the hope of keeping coal dust out of the respiratory tract.

However, there is little hope of cutting down on the transmission of colds by wearing a mask. Medical authorities believe that most colds spread from nose to hand and then from hand to nose, rather than through the air, so a considerate cold victim should instead wash his or her hands frequently.

The influenza virus does travel easily through the air as a passenger on water droplets, so a mask may head off its transmission.

Related Facts

  • Where do Colds come from and What causes the Common Cold?
  • How do you minimize the risk of catching a Cold and Which home remedies for Colds work?
  • How does washing your hands help prevent the spread of germs and disease?
  • Why Are You More Likely To Catch a Cold In Winter Indoors, or When It’s Cold Out, and Why Do You Catch a Chill?
  • Is there any way to stop from getting a cold?
  • How effective are antibacterial products like soaps, hand cleaners and bleach?

Filed Under: Science

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « Is there any way to stop from getting a cold?
Next Post: Can you reinfect yourself with an infectious disease from exposure to residual germs on your hands? »

Footer

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • GitHub
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Medium
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Categories

Accomplishments Animals Culture Firsts Food Geography Health History Inventions Language Mythology Odds People Religion Science Space Universe World Your Body

About

Zippy Facts empowers the world by serving educational content that is accessible to everyone.

A tribute to growing up, zippyfacts.com showcases interesting and unusual facts about the world.

Our mission is to use technology to facilitate knowledge transfer and sharing.

Copyright © 2020 Zippy Facts

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy