SHOULD YOU REALLY WEAR A MASK?
After A-lister, Matthew McConaughey, toured the media circuit with his “mandatory masks” message, many still question if wearing a mask helps stop Coronavirus. Top Microbiologist and Immunologist from Ireland, Dolores Cahill, PhD weighs in with some VERY definitive answers.
#MaskShaming #Covid19 #Coronavirus #Masks #MaskFacts
Image credit: engin akyurt on Unsplash
Dr.
Russell Blaylock warns that not only do face masks fail to protect the
healthy from getting sick, but they also create serious health risks to
the wearer. The bottom line is that if you are not sick, you should not
wear a face mask.
As businesses reopen, many are requiring shoppers and employees to
wear a face mask. Costco, for instance, will not allow shoppers into the
store without wearing a face mask. Many employers are requiring all
employees to wear a face mask while at work. In some jurisdictions, all
citizens must wear a face mask if they are outside of their own home. ⁃
TN Editor
With the advent of the so-called COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen a
number of medical practices that have little or no scientific support as
regards reducing the spread of this infection. One of these measures is
the wearing of facial masks, either a surgical-type mask, bandana or
N95 respirator mask. When this pandemic began and we knew little about
the virus itself or its epidemiologic behavior, it was assumed that it
would behave, in terms of spread among communities, like other
respiratory viruses. Little has presented itself after intense study of
this virus and its behavior to change this perception.
This is somewhat of an unusual virus in that for the vast majority of
people infected by the virus, one experiences either no illness
(asymptomatic) or very little sickness. Only a very small number of
people are at risk of a potentially serious outcome from the
infection—mainly those with underlying serious medical conditions in
conjunction with advanced age and frailty, those with immune
compromising conditions and nursing home patients near the end of their
lives. There is growing evidence that the treatment protocol issued to
treating doctors by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
mainly intubation and use of a ventilator (respirator), may have
contributed significantly to the high death rate in these select
individuals.
By wearing a mask, the exhaled
viruses will not be able to escape and will concentrate in the nasal
passages, enter the olfactory nerves and travel into the brain.
Russell Blaylock, MD
As for the scientific support for the use of face mask, a recent
careful examination of the literature, in which 17 of the best studies
were analyzed, concluded that, “ None of the studies established a
conclusive relationship between mask/respirator use and protection
against influenza infection.”
1 Keep in mind, no studies
have been done to demonstrate that either a cloth mask or the N95 mask
has any effect on transmission of the COVID-19 virus. Any
recommendations, therefore, have to be based on studies of influenza
virus transmission. And, as you have seen, there is no conclusive
evidence of their efficiency in controlling flu virus transmission.
It is also instructive to know that until recently, the CDC did not
recommend wearing a face mask or covering of any kind, unless a person
was known to be infected, that is, until recently. Non-infected people
need not wear a mask. When a person has TB we have them wear a mask, not
the entire community of non-infected. The recommendations by the CDC
and the WHO are not based on any studies of this virus and have never
been used to contain any other virus pandemic or epidemic in history.
Now that we have established that there is no scientific evidence
necessitating the wearing of a face mask for prevention, are there
dangers to wearing a face mask, especially for long periods? Several
studies have indeed found significant problems with wearing such a mask.
This can vary from headaches, to increased airway resistance, carbon
dioxide accumulation, to hypoxia, all the way to serious
life-threatening complications.
There is a difference between the N95 respirator mask and the
surgical mask (cloth or paper mask) in terms of side effects. The N95
mask, which filters out 95% of particles with a median diameter >0.3
µm
2 , because it impairs respiratory exchange (breathing) to a
greater degree than a soft mask, and is more often associated with
headaches. In one such study, researchers surveyed 212 healthcare
workers (47 males and 165 females) asking about presence of headaches
with N95 mask use, duration of the headaches, type of headaches and if
the person had preexisting headaches.
2
They found that about a third of the workers developed headaches with
use of the mask, most had preexisting headaches that were worsened by
the mask wearing, and 60% required pain medications for relief. As to
the cause of the headaches, while straps and pressure from the mask
could be causative, the bulk of the evidence points toward hypoxia
and/or hypercapnia as the cause. That is, a reduction in blood
oxygenation (hypoxia) or an elevation in blood C02 (hypercapnia). It is
known that the N95 mask, if worn for hours, can reduce blood oxygenation
as much as 20%, which can lead to a loss of consciousness, as happened
to the hapless fellow driving around alone in his car wearing an N95
mask, causing him to pass out, and to crash his car and sustain
injuries. I am sure that we have several cases of elderly individuals or
any person with poor lung function passing out, hitting their head.
This, of course, can lead to death.
A more recent study involving 159 healthcare workers aged 21 to 35
years of age found that 81% developed headaches from wearing a face
mask.
3 Some had pre-existing headaches that were
precipitated by the masks. All felt like the headaches affected their
work performance.
Unfortunately, no one is telling the frail elderly and those with
lung diseases, such as COPD, emphysema or pulmonary fibrosis, of these
dangers when wearing a facial mask of any kind—which can cause a severe
worsening of lung function. This also includes lung cancer patients and
people having had lung surgery, especially with partial resection or
even the removal of a whole lung.
While most agree that the N95 mask can cause significant hypoxia and
hypercapnia, another study of surgical masks found significant
reductions in blood oxygen as well. In this study, researchers examined
the blood oxygen levels in 53 surgeons using an oximeter. They measured
blood oxygenation before surgery as well as at the end of surgeries.
4 The researchers found that the mask reduced the blood oxygen levels (pa0
2) significantly. The longer the duration of wearing the mask, the greater the fall in blood oxygen levels.
The importance of these findings is that a drop in oxygen levels
(hypoxia) is associated with an impairment in immunity. Studies have
shown that hypoxia can inhibit the type of main immune cells used to
fight viral infections called the CD4+ T-lymphocyte. This occurs because
the hypoxia increases the level of a compound called hypoxia inducible
factor-1 (HIF-1), which inhibits T-lymphocytes and stimulates a powerful
immune inhibitor cell called the Tregs. . This sets the stage for
contracting any infection, including COVID-19 and making the
consequences of that infection much graver. In essence, your mask may
very well put you at an increased risk of infections and if so, having a
much worse outcome.
5,6,7
People with cancer, especially if the cancer has spread, will be at a
further risk from prolonged hypoxia as the cancer grows best in a
microenvironment that is low in oxygen. Low oxygen also promotes
inflammation which can promote the growth, invasion and spread of
cancers.
8,9 Repeated episodes of hypoxia has been proposed
as a significant factor in atherosclerosis and hence increases all
cardiovascular (heart attacks) and cerebrovascular (strokes) diseases.
10
There is another danger to wearing these masks on a daily basis,
especially if worn for several hours. When a person is infected with a
respiratory virus, they will expel some of the virus with each breath.
If they are wearing a mask, especially an N95 mask or other tightly
fitting mask, they will be constantly rebreathing the viruses, raising
the concentration of the virus in the lungs and the nasal passages. We
know that people who have the worst reactions to the coronavirus have
the highest concentrations of the virus early on. And this leads to the
deadly cytokine storm in a selected number.
It gets even more frightening. Newer evidence suggests that in some cases the virus can enter the brain.
11,12
In most instances it enters the brain by way of the olfactory nerves
(smell nerves), which connect directly with the area of the brain
dealing with recent memory and memory consolidation. By wearing a mask,
the exhaled viruses will not be able to escape and will concentrate in
the nasal passages, enter the olfactory nerves and travel into the
brain.
13
It is evident from this review that there is insufficient evidence
that wearing a mask of any kind can have a significant impact in
preventing the spread of this virus. The fact that this virus is a
relatively benign infection for the vast majority of the population and
that most of the at-risk group also survive, from an infectious disease
and epidemiological standpoint, by letting the virus spread through the
healthier population we will reach a herd immunity level rather quickly
that will end this pandemic quickly and prevent a return next winter.
During this time, we need to protect the at-risk population by avoiding
close contact, boosting their immunity with compounds that boost
cellular immunity and in general, care for them.
One should not attack and insult those who have chosen not to wear a
mask, as these studies suggest that is the wise choice to make.
References
- bin-Reza F et al. The use of mask and respirators to prevent
transmission of influenza: A systematic review of the scientific
evidence. Resp Viruses 2012;6(4):257-67.
- Zhu JH et al. Effects
of long-duration wearing of N95 respirator and surgical facemask: a
pilot study. J Lung Pulm Resp Res 2014:4:97-100.
- Ong JJY et al.
Headaches associated with personal protective equipment- A
cross-sectional study among frontline healthcare workers during
COVID-19. Headache 2020;60(5):864-877.
- Bader A et al. Preliminary report on surgical mask induced deoxygenation during major surgery. Neurocirugia 2008;19:12-126.
- Shehade H et al. Cutting edge: Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1 negatively regulates Th1 function. J Immunol 2015;195:1372-1376.
- Westendorf
AM et al. Hypoxia enhances immunosuppression by inhibiting CD4+
effector T cell function and promoting Treg activity. Cell Physiol
Biochem 2017;41:1271-84.
- Sceneay J et al. Hypoxia-driven immunosuppression contributes to the pre-metastatic niche. Oncoimmunology 2013;2:1 e22355.
- Blaylock
RL. Immunoexcitatory mechanisms in glioma proliferation, invasion and
occasional metastasis. Surg Neurol Inter 2013;4:15.
- Aggarwal BB. Nucler factor-kappaB: The enemy within. Cancer Cell 2004;6:203-208.
- Savransky V et al. Chronic intermittent hypoxia induces atherosclerosis. Am J Resp Crit Care Med 2007;175:1290-1297.
- Baig
AM et al. Evidence of the COVID-19 virus targeting the CNS: Tissue
distribution, host-virus interaction, and proposed neurotropic
mechanisms. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020;11:7:995-998.
- Wu Y et al.
Nervous system involvement after infection with COVID-19 and other
coronaviruses. Brain Behavior, and Immunity, In press.
- Perlman S
et al. Spread of a neurotropic murine coronavirus into the CNS via the
trigeminal and olfactory nerves. Virology 1989;170:556-560.
Dr. Russell Blaylock, author of
The Blaylock Wellness Report newsletter,
is a nationally recognized board-certified neurosurgeon, health
practitioner, author, and lecturer. He attended the Louisiana State
University School of Medicine and completed his internship and
neurological residency at the Medical University of South Carolina. For
26 years, practiced neurosurgery in addition to having a nutritional
practice. He recently retired from his neurosurgical duties to devote
his full attention to nutritional research.
Dr. Blaylock has authored
four books,
Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills,
Health and Nutrition Secrets That Can Save Your Life,
Natural Strategies for Cancer Patients, and his most recent work,
Cellular and Molecular Biology of Autism Spectrum Disorders.
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