As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds, experts are urging the use of protective masks. While experts weigh in, misinformation is running rampant on social media. So, will carbon dioxide become trapped and build in your body? Read on for the final verdict.
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As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds, health experts continue to urge the public to wear face masks for protection. Sound advice, right? Well.. if you spend any time on social media it’s likely you’ve read warnings about the dangers of wearing a mask for long periods of time. Specifically, the risk of carbon dioxide (CO2) becoming trapped under your mask, causing unsafe levels to build up in the body (hypercapnia). So, let’s take a closer look to see if wearing a mask can lead to someone passing out or worse.
A Possible Catalyst
One April incident added fuel to the “masking causing carbon dioxide poisoning” theory. On April 25, 2020, a New Jersey woman crashed her car into a power pole and was taken to a nearby hospital. The local police department posted to facebook that the woman had been wearing an N95 mask for several hours and passed out. The department believed wearing the N95 mask contributed to the crash by causing a buildup of carbon dioxide and resulting in the driver fainting.
The facebook post was shared thousands of times and received hundreds of comments. The story was also reported on major news outlets.
The Basics
Let’s first review the characteristics of protective masks as we look for the truth. There are two main types of masks used in healthcare, N95 respirators and surgical masks.
Surgical
These masks are fluid resistant, fit loosely and protect you from large droplets, splashes or sprays of body or hazardous fluids. They also protect others from your own respiratory and body secretions. However, there are limits to protection surgical masks provide, including:
Does not provide reliable protection from small airborne particles
Are not considered respiratory protection
Leakage occurs around the edge of the mask when you inhale
Designed for single use
N95 Respirators
The N95 respirator is tight-fitting and requires a fit test to make you have a good seal around the mask. It protects you against small particle aerosols and large droplets. In fact, it filters out at least 95% of small and large airborne particles. If properly fitted, minimal leakage occurs around the edges when you inhale. N95 masks also have limitations, including:
Ideally, N95 masks should be discarded after each patient encounter
Is ineffective if a good seal is not maintained
Breathing can become difficult
The Verdict
A CDC representative told Reuters that CO2 will build up in face masks over time, however, the level of CO2 trapped is tolerable for most of us. Protective masks are designed to trap droplets, which are much larger than CO2 particles. Therefore, CO2 will escape through or around the edges of surgical, cloth and even N95 masks. If CO2 levels do rise high enough to cause symptoms, we would most likely remove the mask.
Healthcare workers, who wear masks for extended periods of time, could potentially experience symptoms of elevated CO2 levels (I.e. headaches and dizziness).
Caveat: Preexisting Conditions
People with respiratory conditions (such as COPD) that cause hypercapnia may experience breathing difficulties. Therefore, the CDC does not recommend face masks for anyone having breathing difficulties or other conditions that will increase the risk of hypercapnia.
Have you experienced any other “myths” or “truths” related to masking during the pandemic?
