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. Nurses General Nursing Article
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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.
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.
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.
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:
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:
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).
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?
References
Driver in crash may have passed out from wearing N95 mask too long: Police
Killer COVID-19 Masks? The Truth About Trapped Carbon Dioxide