Anti-Covid Masks, everything you need to know

Wearing Face Mask has become a global trend. Its importance is being backed by professionals in the fight against Covid-19. Came across an update from South Korea with their own Kf94 mask. They made their own in response to the high demand and shortage of mask. But first, let us review the different masks in the market.

WHO – World Health Organization strongly advise the use of mask as protection against Corona Virus as it can be transmitted via close contact droplets between people. It is almost similar with airborne transmission but this virus should not be taken lightly. As of this writing, there are 3,428,422 confirmed cases and 243,831 deaths worldwide. Bringing even the most powerful countries to its knees.

 

 

Surgical/Medical Mask

Surgical masks are disposable, loose fitting masks that cover your nose, mouth and chin. Filters as much as 60-80% of small particles under lab condition. It is often flat and rectangular in shape with pleats or folds. Since it is for one time use only, a lot of people are using this now and throw on rivers and other bodies of water.

 

Homemade Cloth Mask

Affordable and reusable, anyone can make at home. Though it offers little protection especially if it has no filter inserts, it’s better than not wearing anything. The risk lies from providing a false sense of security. User of Cloth Mask should remember that it doesn’t replace other protective measures like frequent handwashing and social distancing.

 

N95

This kind of mask is more tight fitting and has oval or circular design. Can filter out 95% of very small particles like viruses and bacterias. Some types have exhalation valves which can help in breathing and humidity. Please make sure there are no gaps between your skin and edge of the mask so no particles can enter. 

photo of person wearing face mask

 

kN95

kN95 is designed in China. kN95 and N95 are almost identical on the features important in Covid-19 protection. Both masks capture 95% of tiny particles about 0.3 micron to be exact. Again, reminders on finding a good fit and comfy enough for you.

wp-15884965582302453933737019644755.jpg

 

Pitta Mask

US has N95, China has kN95, while Japan has Pitta Mask. It is sleek and incredibly popular with celebrities wearing one with matching OTDs. Claims to filter PM 2.5 or smaller particles of matter. It is made of sponge-like material. Elastic, light and comfortable to wear. 

pitta mask

 

PM2.5

As the name suggest, PM2.5 mask filters PM 2.5 or smaller particles just like Pitta Mask. PM stands for Pollutants in Micrometers. PM 2.5 is equivalent to 0.001 millimeters. Highly comfortable too, shape is similar to kN95.

shopee_b9743e38034591603e3eb321aeaf73583563212062959266866.jpg

 

kF94

Pardon if I’m biased to this. Not because I’m a K-pop fan but I’ve grown accustomed to wearing one. South Korea solved their mask shortage by creating their own. kF94 stands for Korea Filter. This is their protection level and filters 94% of particles. It has quadruple filters and has ergonomic 3D design that allows breathing space for nose and mouth. 

wp-15887601450985248820637868273104.jpg

 

Sponge Mask

A dupe for Pitta mask, it is breathable and comfortable. Great for those allergic to synthetic fibers of Surgical/medical mask (like me) since it’s skin-friendly. Washable and reusable, too! A good alternative to cloth or surgical masks.

shopee_9b1d995021bf8dbd65d0222ed91271886498428234992058394.jpg

 

Antibacterial Face Masks

One particular brand – BioMask – is a revolutionary face mask that inactivates 99.99% of viruses/bacteria with the surface of the mask. BioMask has a hydrophilic plastic coating that rapidly absorbs aerosol droplets away from the outer surface of the mask. The first and second layers of the mask are treated with different compounds that inactivate viruses. Some types use Carbon for their antibacterial property. Taiwan made one under the brand – Blue Eagle. 

 

So there you go, summed up all masks in the market. Wear mask when going out. That’s because studies show that people can spread coronavirus even if they don’t have symptoms (called asymptomatic) or before they have symptoms (called presymptomatic).

Please do remember that wearing mask is just one way to protect yourself. It is equally important to practice social distancing and frequent handwashing. 

Stay Safe everyone!

 

Household products that can kill Corona Virus

Stores are running out of alcohol and sanitizers as supply came short while demand continues to escalate. You may worry how to disinfect your home and protect your family in the absence of these two, so read this article for some tips.

Corona Virus like any other viruses, is easy to kill. Just use the right product, follow the recommended usage and bid adios to corona!

Common household products that you can use;

Soap and water

It is the most effective among all products and can literally wash away this pesky virus. FYI, anti-bacterial soap is only effective against bacteria not viruses.

Bleach

CDC or The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends one part concentrated bleach to 3 parts water – diluted solution against virus disinfection. Well known brands of bleach available in the Philippines are: Zonrox, Clorox, Ajax, Domex, etc. (I’m not being paid for this haha 😅)

Hydrogen Peroxide

According to the CDC, hydrogen peroxide (3%) is a powerful disinfectant that deactivates rhinovirus. Rhinovirus is the virus that causes common cold. And is much tougher to destroy than Corona Virus. That means hydrogen peroxide is one mighty killer!

Multi-surface Cleanser Sprays

Mainly use on hard surfaces like kitchen counters, tiles, toilet. This is my go-to cleanser next to bleach and hydrogen peroxide. Just spray and wipe with clean cloth or tissue, make sure to discard the tissue after use.

There you go, wishing everyone to stay healthy and corona virus free!

Thanks for reading! 😊

Lose weight at home

Here are proven tips for losing weight using reliable methods that really work:

  1. Get good sleep! A lack of sleep (less than seven to nine hours nightly for most people) can mean a lack of weight loss.
  2. Eat more fiber: Adults need to aim for at least 25–30 grams daily from things like veggies, fruit, ancient grains, sprouted legumes and seeds.
  3. Use healthy fats: Coconut oil has natural fat-burning effects just like GC does, plus many more benefits like improving gut health, too. Other healthy fats that can help control your appetite include real olive oil, avocado, fats from grass-fed beef, nuts and seeds.
  4. Utilize adaptogen herbs: Adaptogen herbs like maca, ginseng and rhodiola can help control health conditions that can make it hard to lose weight (like high amounts of stress, thyroid issues, leaky gut, adrenal fatigue, cellular toxicity and candida).
  5. Don’t skimp on protein: Protein foods are satisfying and essential for building muscles. Regularly include proteins like cage-free eggs and wild-caught fish in your meals.
  6. Consume probiotics: Probiotic foods and supplements not only help balance improve digestive health, but they also balance hormones, raise immunity, control your appetite and play a part in weight control.
  7. Switch up your exercise routine: Try burst-training exercises and other forms of high intensity interval training (HIIT) to keep challenging your muscles, work in with a group, add in weight training, and relax with yoga in between workouts.
  8. Stand up more during the day: Sitting for long periods of time is associated with being overweight and a higher risk for obesity.
  9. Sneak more fitness into your day: Take the stairs, do body weight exercises at home. or try wearing a fitness tracker for motivation — try some of these exercise hacks.
  10. Schedule your workouts ahead of time: This makes it much more likely you’ll follow through.
  11. Use essential oils for weight loss: Natural oils including grapefruit, cinnamon and ginger oil can help control your appetite, hormones and digestive symptoms.

Article: Dr.Axe

covid-19 stats

As of April 1, 2020 Covid-19 statistics:
Worldwide: 859,032 confirmed cases

  1. USA 189,445
  2. ITALY 105,792
  3. SPAIN 95,923
  4. CHINA 81,554
  5. GERMANY 71,808
  6. FRANCE 51,487
  7. IRAN 44,606
  8. UK 25,150
  9. SWITZERLAND 16,597
  10. TURKEY 13,531

PHILIPPINES 2,084 cases

#angelpharmacy

https://google.com/covid19-map/

Do the Five & fight Corona Virus

This campaign is promulgated by the Department of Health (Philippines) with full effort to stop Covid-19 (Corona Virus Disease -2019)

This is how to protect yourself and loved ones from this dreaded disease.

Do the FIVE!

1. Do Wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds, with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub

2. Cover your nose and mouth with a disposable tissue or flexed elbow when you cough or sneeze

3. Avoid close contact (1 meter or 3 feet) with people who are unwell

4. Stay home and self-isolate from others in the household if you feel unwell

5. Don’t Touch your eyes, nose, or mouth if your hands are not clean

Here are some infographics to help you understand this pandemic better.

Sources:

http://www.doh.gov.ph

https://www.facebook.com/angelpharmacyph/

Alcohol vs. Hand Sanitizer

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) strongly recommends frequent handwashing as one of measures to protect yourself from Covid-19 and stop the spread of it. This pandemic has been wrecking havoc across the globe.

But what if there’s no soap and water available and access seems impossible? Having rubbing alcohol or sanitizers are instant savers.

Here’s what you need to know about these two;

Alcohol

Variations: Ethanol/ Ethyl, Isopropyl, Propanol

Pros: It is a fast-acting disinfectant. Kills 99% of microbes, bacteria and viruses and has been the most popular first-aid or disinfectant in medical facilities such as hospitals

Cons: Flammable, drying and unfriendly to skin

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Hand Sanitizer (alcohol based)

I am biased to this one and prefers bringing a tiny bottle in my purse.

Variations: Scented and unscented

Pros: Skin friendly because it’s partly gel & moisturizer, effective in killing most bacterias and viruses

Cons: Must contain at least 60% alcohol to be effective and must be used properly and with sufficient amount for effectivity

Hope this is helpful. Remember nothing beats handwashing. Let us fight Covid-19 together!

Stay Safe everyone!

What is Social Distancing

Social Distancing – is one of the measures we are now using to stop or slow down the spread of Covid-19.

Since Covid-19 is a highly contagious disease that can be transferred via close droplet transmission. Measures include limiting large groups of people coming together and canceling events that would gather a crowd.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended against any gatherings of 50 or more people over the next eight weeks, in an effort to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

Many schools, libraries, universities, places of worship, and sporting and cultural institutions have also shut down for the next few weeks.

These measures are an attempt to enforce distance between people, a proven way to slow pandemics.

Experts advised maintaining at least 3 feet or 1 meet away from each other

Experts have also been urging people to practice voluntary “social distancing.”  And term is now trending all over Social Media.

Sharing is Caring. Let us do our part and fight Covid-19.

The Most Powerful Prayer

Why do you confuse yourselves by worrying? Leave the care of your affairs to me and everything will be peaceful.

I say to you in truth that every act of true, blind, complete surrender to me produces the effect that you desire and resolves all difficult situations… A thousand prayers do not equal one act of abandonment; don’t ever forget it. There is no better novena than this:

O Jesus, I abandon myself to you. Jesus, you take over.

Ten facts about Corona Virus

  1. Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). 
  2. The Source of Corona Virus is believed to be a “Wet Market” in Wuhan, China that sells both live and dead animals.
  3. A novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans.  
  4. World Health Organization announced its official name – coronavirus disease 2019, abbreviated as COVID-19. COVID-19, ‘CO’ stands for ‘corona,’ ‘VI’ for ‘virus,’ and ‘D’ for disease.
  5. Formerly known as “2019 novel coronavirus” or “2019-nCoV”
  6. It is zoonotic – transmitted between animals and people.
  7. Common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.
  8. In severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death. 
  9. Standard recommendations to prevent infection spread include frequent hand washing, covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, thoroughly cooking meat and eggs.
  10. It can be transmitted by droplet contact – bacteria/viruses that can travel on relatively large respiratory droplets that people sneeze, cough, drip, or exhale.

Articles:

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html

https://www.drgreene.com/articles/droplet-transmission

https://www.facebook.com/angelpharmacyph/

 

 

Rene Espina, a life well lived

Former Senator Rene Espina, who authored the country’s first anti-illegal drugs law, died on Friday, his son Erik has confirmed in a social media post. The elder Espina was 89.
“Another light dimmed in the passing of a good man who loved his country,” the Espina son said on his Facebook page.

CNN PHILIPPINES

The Senate on Wednesday, September 18, honored the late senator Rene Espina, author of the country’s first anti-drug law.

Espina was a member of the 7th Congress from 1969 to 1972. He died of kidney complications on September 13, 2019.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said Espina was ahead of his time as he sought to flag the effects of illegal drugs in the country. Espina authored Republic Act No. 6425 or the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972.
“Forty-seven years ago, Senator Espina had already identified the country’s illegal drug problem, although it was still at its incipient stage, as an emerging threat to human security,” Drilon said.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said that Espina had demonstrated that “a life in public service is a life well-lived.” Espina’s anti-drug law was the precursor to Sotto’s Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
“That he was the author and sponsor of the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972 again placed him as a co-warrior in the fight against illegal drugs,” Sotto said.

The Senate held necrological services to honor the late senator on Wednesday.

RAPPLER

Gallery of photos from the Senate of the Philippines

P/V: Thee Media Creations