Study suggests wearing of masks generates immunity vs. COVID-19

MANILA, Philippines — Wearing of masks gives a person immunity against coronavirus disease (COVID-19), according to an article published by the New England Journal of Medicine on September 8, 2020.
The article said there is a high possibility that people are being exposed to small amounts of coronavirus as masks cannot totally filter such viral particles. This allows people to develop immunity or antibodies to eventually fight the virus. This process is called “variolation.”
Infectious disease specialist Dr. Rontgene Solante also noted the level of immunity that wearing of masks gives to an individual and its effect on the community.
“There is evidence that if all of us wear face mask, there’ll be no transmission; there’ll be no infection in the community. So, indirectly the face mask protects the individual and that in itself is defined as immunity against the infection,” he said.
But the Department of Health (DOH) couldn’t confirm the said study.
“We still have to study further itong sinasabing immunity,” DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said.
“Baka iyong (Maybe the) preventive measures that can really work are the combined preventive measures of wearing face masks, wearing face shield, doing physical distancing and hand-washing para tayo ay makaagapay habang wala pang bakuna (for us to survive while there’s no vaccine yet) and we can live with the virus,” Vergeire said.
Dr. Solante, on the other hand, said maintaining a healthy lifestyle is an effective measure against infection.
“You have to keep yourself healthy aside from the health protocols. Exercise, don’t drink. If you have hypertension or diabetes, drink your medication regularly,” Solante said.
“Based on our patients na smokers mataas ang [mortality rate] kasi smokers. Their lungs are already inflamed…doble ang inflammation mas lalong severe (Based on our patients who are smokers, mortality rate is high among smokers because their lungs are already inflamed. The inflammation is double, more severe),” he added.
The DOH has issued Memorandum 0165 in March requiring all nutrition and dietetics services in hospitals with cases of COVID-19 to provide their patients and staff with healthy and nutritious foods to help boost their immune system. MNP (with details from Aiko Miguel)