Are face shields more effective than face masks?

The coronavirus pandemic has made wearing face masks in public a matter of public health.

Transport for London (TfL) has advised that all passengers should wear face masks when public transport in the city.

Another type of face covering which is becoming more and more commonly seen is face shields, which cover the whole face with a plastic sheet.

Are these larger coverings considered safer than the face masks being worn by so many?

Are face shields more effective than face masks?

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Since Covid-19 is still so new, there’s no definitive proof that face shields are unequivocally better than masks when it comes to keeping you safe from the virus.

However, Dr. Eli Perencevich, an infectious disease physician at the University of Iowa, told the New York Times: ‘I wear a face shield every time I enter a store or other building.’

He also pointed out that the transparent shields protect more of the face and they can help those who depend on lip reading to communicate.

Preschool students and their teachers in Singapore will be getting face shields upon their return to school in June, meanwhile, health experts in Philadelphia have said that teachers should wear shields when classes start again.

The Government’s advice on wearing face coverings is ‘that people should aim to wear a face-covering in enclosed spaces where social distancing is not always possible and they come into contact with others they do not normally meet, for example on public transport or in some shops.

‘Homemade cloth face-coverings can help reduce the risk of transmission in some circumstances. Face-coverings are not intended to help the wearer, but to protect against inadvertent transmission of the disease to others if you have it asymptomatically.’

Officials have stressed that surgical and medical-grade masks should be reserved for frontline NHS and healthcare workers.

The public is instead advised to buy a non-medical mask or make their own at home.

Dr Daniel Atkinson, Clinical Lead at Treated.com previously advised anyone considering making their own face mask to ‘exercise caution’.

He told Metro.co.uk last month: ‘You certainly shouldn’t wear anything that makes it harder for you to breathe, or causes irritation to your face, particularly if you’re not at increased risk of getting the infection.’

People have also been urged to always wash their hands before and after putting face coverings on.

Face-coverings should not be used by anyone under two years old, or on those who may struggle to manage them properly.

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