Coronavirus: The masks? Also useful for allergy sufferers

(ANSA) - ROME, APRIL 28 - For those suffering from asthma and allergies, Aaiito (Association of Territorial and Hospital Immunologists, Allergy Scientists) dispels the most frequent doubts for respiratory patients who must also wear a mask in 'Phase 2' the containment of contagions from Covid-19. "For people who suffer from respiratory allergies - says Riccardo Asero, president of Aaiito - this long-awaited breath of air" starting from May 4, "falls precisely in the season of pollen and 'shortness of breath' and is generating anxiety precisely because of the need to adopt Personal Protective Equipment ". "Wearing a mask does not involve any additional risk of increasing respiratory difficulties in people with respiratory allergies," he continues, stressing that it is "absolutely recommended both for children and for allergic or asthmatic adults in maintenance therapy for allergies, respect and 'scrupulously taking the therapies prescribed by your reference specialist. Therapies should not be interrupted due to fears of Covid-19 ".
    For Aaiito allergists, "the mask can actually cause a psychological sensation of 'difficulty in breathing', but in no way worsens the patient's bronchial situation. On the contrary, the mask can become a protective factor helping to filter at least in part the pollen grains that in this season begin to be airborne from flowering plants ". The pollen size of the fungal spores is between 1 and 15 microns (100, 1,000 times larger than the coronavirus, located between 0.6 and 0.14 microns). So, according to Asero, it is "evident that the mask filter can contribute to reducing the inhalable concentration of these aerobiological particles, allowing an important reduction of allergic symptoms". But which mask can a respiratory patient use? "The asthmatic and allergic patient does not need special masks (Fp2, Fp3) - says President Aaiito - can use a normal certified surgical mask". And if an allergic patient wants to leave the house, there is "no particular recommendation, unless the respiratory situation drastically worsens when going outside. In this case the suggestion is to stay at home, limiting the outputs to a minimum ". (HANDLE).