Article - Face Shield or Mask – Know the Difference


29 Jun 2020

By now, every South African is familiar with the government’s lockdown restrictions that forbid anyone going out in public without wearing a mask to shield the lower part of the face, since COVID-19 is a virus for which there is as of yet no preventative cure or treatment.

Worse than Annual Flu

COVID-19 spreads easily and rapidly, attacking the human respiratory system, sometimes with fatal consequences. The disease is more virulent than the annual flu that admittedly tends to mutate but generally has less severe potential consequences.

Essential Protection and Prevention

Protection and prevention are essential. Controlling the spread of the virus is vital since a cure isn’t available yet, despite the dedicated efforts of scientists and medical research fraternities.  Recognising just how necessary it is to support their corporate clients, health services, and other concerns with protective PPE solutions to help stem the tide of infections, we, at XCO Group, have expanded our range of protective products to include an easy-to-wear face shield. We post relevant articles on our XCO website.

Wear a Shield and/or Mask

Infected persons may experience symptoms of coronavirus or they may be asymptomatic, showing no or a few, mild symptoms, blissfully unaware that they are carriers and are thus capable of spreading the virus. These are major factors that cause health authorities’ insistence on wearing masks and using other personal protection products, particularly face shields.

Points of Risk and Entry

The eyes, nose, and mouth are the most common places through which COVID-19 infectious droplets are likely to enter the body when a person inhales, exhales, coughs, sneezes, or touches contaminated objects or surfaces before inadvertently touching their face.

Infectious coronavirus micro-organisms have the ability to remain alive and active for extended periods, depending on where they land. In turn and unknowingly, infected persons who come into contact with contaminated surfaces are at risk of spreading the virus to whomever and whatever they come into direct or indirect contact with, and that’s how easy it is for healthy, but unprotected people to become infected and ill.

Other than by medical testing, there is no way of detecting whether you have been near or in direct or indirect contact with a COVID-19-infected person, while that person’s infection status can only be identified in the same way, unless they display obvious symptoms that raise the alarm.

A face shield does precisely as its name indicates; it shields the entire face of the wearer. This product accomplishes this function by providing a non-penetrable barrier across the surface, preventing airborne and moisture particles from landing on facial skin and vulnerable features such as the eyes, nose, and mouth, through which viral agents can and do enter with particular ease.

Throughout history, shields of virtually all types have been used effectively for one particular reason – to protect the wearer or bearer from harm and death. A visor offers protection to the eyes and is a standard feature fitted to helmets, worn by motorcycle riders and racing car drivers. 

Warriors, soldiers, welders, drill operators, surgeons, and other medical personnel who contend with spatter contamination from bodily fluids, laboratory staff, people who handle chemicals and numerous others in a multitude of occupations, rely on the protection that shields offer.

Differences and Similarities

There are various differences and similarities between shields and masks, so we at XCO will take a moment to highlight some of the basic aspects of each product type.

Shields:

  • Cover the entire face, from hairline (or above) to below the chin.
  • Also protects eyes and facial skin.
  • Virus-carrying droplets, spatters, and sprays cannot penetrate the solid surface, which should be cleaned and sanitised after every use.
  • May be re-used indefinitely.
  • Does not encase the nose or mouth, or form a seal over them.
  • Allows for clear, audible speech.

Masks:

  • Only covers and protects lower face – mouth and nose.
  • Fits snugly, if worn correctly.
  • Eyes and facial skin remain unprotected.
  • Most masks available for personal protection (excluding surgical-grade versions) are made of breathable double or triple-layer cloth, with or without a filter.
  • Disposable or re-usable and washable.
  • Speech may be somewhat muffled.

XCO’s face shield, categorised as personal protective equipment, is available in packs of 100 units, because you and your organisation’s well-being and protection from COVID-19 contamination is paramount.

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