Does a mask protect one from Ebola?

Women wearing face masks to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in Kampala, Uganda. PHOTO/FILE

Just like with Covid-19, can wearing a mask and using help one to stay safe from Ebola? Willy

Dear Willy,
Good hand hygiene may protect one from acquiring dangerous germs such as Covid-19, flu virus and Ebola virus, among many others. The best hand hygiene is achieved by using plain (not medicated) soap and water for at least 20 seconds and in the absence of these, alcohol-based hand sanitisers containing 60-95 percent ethanol or isopropanol can be used, especially in medical settings.

The Covid-19 virus can spread from an infected person's mouth or nose in small liquid particles when they cough, sneeze, speak, sing or breathe. It can also be spread indirectly through contaminated objects or surfaces, including contaminated hands that touch objects with the secretions or when the hands are put on the mouth or nose, such as while coughing or sneezing and using the same hands to touch a healthy person's face.

Ebola virus spreads through direct contact by a healthy person with the blood or body fluids of an infected person and here, the virus will enter the healthy person’s body through broken skin or mucous membranes in the eyes, nose, or mouth. This then means touching one’s face with Ebola contaminated hands may also spread the virus.

Hand hygiene using water and soap (especially after one has been to a public place, or after blowing the nose, coughing, or sneezing) or alcohol-based hand sanitisers, wearing masks and avoiding crowded places, among others can, therefore, be used to prevent both Covid-19 and Ebola.

Unlike Covid-19, which can be vaccinated against, Ebola has not yet got a recommended vaccine, requiring that the above methods of prevention become part and parcel of prevention against both viruses.

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Why do I feel like insects are crawling on my skin?

I am a vegetarian but I get this feeling like insects are crawling over my skin. What could it be? Zaina

Dear Zaina,
A false sensation that insects are crawling on one’s skin is called formication which, because it has no physical cause, is known as a type of paraesthesia or a tactile hallucination. In many cases, formication is most common at night when one listens to the body most.

Sensory nerves usually tell us what is happening on our skins but in your case, the nerves, even without any insects is falsely telling you insects are crawling on you.

Formication can take many forms apart from feeling insects crawling on one’s skin and these may include, burning, pins and needles, tingling, or numbness sensations without anything happening. Much as formication may occur related to menopause and is, therefore, more common in older people, it may also occur because of other reasons in the young.

People with diabetes, syphilis, healed skin herpes zoster, migraines, taking certain drugs, alcohol withdrawal, mental diseases and lack of certain vitamins, especially vitamin B (12) may get formication.

Vegetarians require to fortify their diets by taking supplements otherwise they may suffer nutritional deficiencies which may lead to formication or other sicknesses because of lacking some nutrients including vitamin B (12), vitamin D, calcium, iron, and zinc.

Rarely, susceptible people may become obsessed that this sensation is being caused by actual insects, (delusional parasitosis) despite repeated reassurances from doctors and even call-in pest controllers, to help fumigate their skins.

A doctor’s check, counselling, dietary supplementation and appropriate treatment may be necessary to help deal with your condition.