Knowledge and Beliefs towards Universal Safety Precautions to flatten the curve during Novel Coronavirus Disease (nCOVID-19) Pandemic among general Public in India: Explorations from a National Perspective

Sai Krishna Gudi; Krishna Undela; Rajesh Venkataraman; Uday Venkat Mateti; Manik Chhabra; Sanath Nyamagoud; Komal Krishna Tiwari

is the (which was not peer-reviewed) The copyright holder for this preprint . https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.03. 31.20047126 doi: medRxiv preprint outbreak in Canada have reported that most of their study participants opined that N-95 respirator mask is the safest and should be used during outbreaks which are in-line with the current study findings [13] . However, the appropriate selection and efficacy of the respiratory protective apparatus have always been a controversy. As these coronaviruses are extremely small, they will have the ability to pass through the pores of both the surgical mask and the N-95 mask. Although the N-95 respirator apparatus has a good structure, which prevents the passage of virus, if it is contaminated and reused, there are high chances for it to become the source of infection instead [31] . The current study findings related to the proper use of a face mask are in accordance with a cross-sectional study that assessed the usage of face masks in a primary care outpatient setting in Hong Kong, where more than half of their participants have demonstrated the correct steps in wearing a face mask [32] .