For months, we have been hearing warnings about the spread of COVID-19 growing worse with the increased indoor activity of winter. We are now officially in the throes of the latest surge. While there is great news about vaccine options in the near future, we need to continue to do all that we can until then to minimize spread and infection. We know this includes washing your hands, social distancing, and, of course, wearing a mask.
Regularly (and correctly) wearing a mask around others who are not part of your household is so important, as it provides a barrier for any respiratory droplets that may leave your mouth and/or nose when talking, coughing or sneezing. Since COVID-19 is also spread by those who are asymptomatic, masks work to protect both the wearer and those around them, preventing germs from coming in and going out.
With December being month ten of the pandemic, we’ve all had to get used to wearing a mask. But we wondered if there’s anything else we could be doing to make it more comfortable. Who better to ask than the staff of Tryon Medical Partners, who all wear masks for eight plus hours a day? Here are some tips from the pros:
Get More Comfortable
Elaine Campbell, DO, Tryon Huntersville
“Add a drop of lavender oil to your mask to make it feel like you’re at the spa. Or choose peppermint oil to help with headaches and feel a little festive.”
Angie Armijos, CMA, Tryon Waverly
“Try an ear saver to prevent your ears from getting sore, and also take the pressure off your ears!”
Janet Cline, RN, Tryon Waverly
“Use a plastic bracket mask insert under the mask to keep it off your mouth. It’s much more comfortable, and you can talk without feeling like you are sucking your mask in!”
Prevent Your Glasses From Fogging
Kimberly Baker, PCC, Tryon Uptown
“Wear your mask further up on your nose and then put your glasses on. This will prevent fogging.”
Hope Danielle Boatwright, RN, Tryon Steele Creek
“Before wearing a new surgical mask, fold the mask in half to bend/pinch the nosepiece tightly and help create a better seal. This has helped me tremendously while wearing glasses with a mask – much less fogging of the glasses.”
Mitzi Borke, RMA, Tryon Matthews
“I tend to fog up my glasses and goggles. I fold up a tissue by 1/2 inch, then cut in half. I use double-sided tape (x3 along the top nose rim). This creates a thicker barrier and helps with fogging.”
Deborah Capers, PSS, Tryon Pineville
“When putting on your mask, first criss cross the strings. This will help with the mask fogging, if you wear glasses.”
Michelle Sotillo, RMA, Tryon SouthPark
“Clean your glasses with a dab of shaving cream and let it sit for a minute. This will prevent your glasses from fogging up.”
If we all work together and do our part with wearing masks, we can help prevent further spread of the coronavirus. Hopefully, the above tips from the folks at Tryon Medical Partners can help make mask wearing just a little bit easier.
Tryon Medical Partners is an independent medical practice dedicated to maintaining trusted patient-doctor relationships, providing excellent and personalized care, and giving you the choices in healthcare that you deserve. With eight convenient locations throughout Charlotte, Tryon Medical Partners specializes in primary care as well as cardiology, dermatology, gynecology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, pulmonary, rheumatology and sleep medicine.
