Humble mask leads to decrease in communicable diseases
Friday, 8 January 2021 (16:51 IST)
New Delhi: Apart from keeping in check the fatal Novel Coronavirus, the humble piece of cloth or any other fabric, used to cover the mouth (which has become the ‘new normal’), has succeeded in keeping at bay, communicable diseases like Flu, Pneumonia, Measles and Tuberculosis, validating the age-old prophecy of maintaining hygiene, to ensure a healthy life!
“Due to the pandemic, mask-wearing and hygiene practices like use of sanitizers has caught on, as a result of which, incidents of winter communicable diseases like pneumonia and flu has gone down, even hospital-inducted diseases have come down due to more stress on hygiene,” said Chairman of Cardiac Sciences, Pan Max, Max Healthcare Balbir Singh.
Speaking at a webinar ‘Heart Care during Winters in COVID?19 Era,’ organised by ASSOCHAM on Thursday, Dr Singh hoped that such hygienic practices would continue, even during the post-pandemic times.
He pointed out that mask-wearing in public places could reduce communicable disease significantly.
On the subject of heart health, the medico explained that during winter season, blood pressure tends to be higher compared to other times and explained why people should ensure that it stays at 140/90.
“Hypertension has to be kept at the normal level, to reduce the chances of renal failure, brain hemorrhage and stroke by half,” he added.
Dr Singh advised heart patients and the elderly to take the influenza and pneumococcal vaccine because communicable diseases rise during winters, which could aggravate their heart condition.
Chairman of PSRI Heart Institute Dr K K Talwar, who also participated at the webinar, cautioned heart patients to remain extra cautious in the times of the pandemic.
“Heart patients are more likely to be infected by Coronavirus and in them, the disease is likely to be more severe, hence they must take extra precautions, especially making sure that they wear a mask,” Dr Talwar said.
Regarding diet intake, Dr Talwar insisted that two rules should be followed by everyone- ‘everything is good as long as one can burn it’ and secondly, ‘whatever makes one fat, is not good’. (UNI)
