Wearing a face mask is mandatory to prevent COVID-19. But, what if it also causes heat-related illness in the summer? (Image via Kyodo News)

Experts: Beware of heat-related illness due to face mask

Alfonsus Adi Putra
Business & Industry
Medical and Health
May 12, 2020
2584
While wearing masks has become a “new normal” amid the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the medical experts asked people to be careful of heat-related illness as the summer has come. They also warned that the excessive usage of face masks might also cause breathing difficulties and dehydration.

For example, in Japan, Yamanashi and Gunma prefectures on Monday recorded the highest temperature of 33.4 degrees C, while other cities in Japan followed suit by registering over 30 degrees temperature yesterday.

While it is common for the Japanese people to wear face masks during winter, it might be new to wear them during the scorching and humid summer months. Wearing masks in hot weather makes it even harder for the cool breeze to reach the lungs. Therefore, the respiratory muscles are forced resulting in shortness of breath, hence it is easier for the body to build up more heat.

Therefore, the experts also warned people to cool the body down to prevent heatstroke. How? You can do it by turning on the air conditioner, hydrate yourselves, and rest more.

As the human face has more nerve fibers, it becomes the most sensitive region than other body parts. It is not advisable to exercise during the scorching summer with your masks on as it may cause oxygen deficiency and deaths at worst. Last month, at least two junior high school students died. The cause of death was because they were using face masks during physical exercise examination.

Source: https://bit.ly/2X1tFwv

Medical , Health , Pandemic , COVID-19 , Coronavirus , Heatstroke , Dehydration , Summer