#BTColumn- Be prepared to resist Omicron – and survive into 2022

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the author(s) do not represent the official position of Barbados TODAY.

by Dr C.V. Alert, MB BS, DM Family Physician

From reports of what is happening internationally, we can safely assume that it is only a matter of when, rather than if, the Omicron coronavirus will visit our newly designated republic. It has already reached into some of our Caribbean neighbours.

Reports also suggest that, based on current evidence, a booster shot of a COVID-19 vaccine – a 3rd dose if your first doses were the AstraZeneca or the Pfizer vaccines, or a 2nd dose if your first dose was the Johnson and Johnson vaccine – offers your best protection against becoming seriously ill, requiring hospitalization, or even dying from COVID-19.

But reports also state that some persons who got their first two vaccines, or some persons who were previously infected, survived, and presumably had developed some ‘natural immunity’, are still coming down with the Omicron variant. Such is the high rate of transmission of this new strain.

These are ‘breakthrough infections’. In our case, we need to reinforce the mitigation strategies, even in those fully vaccinated, and especially in those partially or un-vaccinated. As a reminder, these are the three W’s: Wash (sanitize) your hands; Watch your (social) distance – It’s the most socially distanced time of the year; and Wear your mask. Even Rudolph is now the face-masked reindeer.

As the highly contagious Omicron coronavirus variant continues to spread, it may be time to upgrade your face mask – especially if you’re still only wearing a cloth mask.

Cloth masks are little more than facial decorations.

You need to be wearing at least a medical-grade surgical mask, which can be found at some drugstores, groceries or hardware stores. You can wear a cloth mask on top of the surgical mask, but do not wear a cloth mask alone, especially indoors in crowded spaces. Cloth masks do not offer sufficient protection against Omicron.

Ideally, in crowded places, you should be wearing a medical-grade mask, such as a surgical mask. Surgical masks offer a better fit and certain materials – such as polypropylene fibres – act as both mechanical and electrostatic barriers. These barriers better prevent tiny particles from getting into your nose or mouth and can be fitted to your face, especially snugly over your nose, to fit tightly. This increases the effectiveness.

Cloth masks which were encouraged earlier in the pandemic can filter large droplets, while more effective masks, such as the surgical masks, can filter both large and smaller aerosols and particles potentially laden with the airborne virus if infected people are present. A cloth face covering can have as much as 75 per cent inward and outward leakage. Properly fitted surgical masks can filter up to 95 per cent of particles in the air.

Why the Omicron variant has been so successful at quickly infecting many people is unknown at the moment, but face masks with limited effectiveness may be one issue. If fewer viruses are needed to cause an infection, or if an infected person is putting out more viruses, then the role of a mask in this is to slow down the amount that you’re actually breathing in.

If you need 1, 000 viral particles to infect you and you’re wearing something that cuts 50 per cent of things down, it’s now going to take twice as long to get to that 1, 000. If you’re wearing one that is 90 per cent efficient, it’s going to take at least ten times as long before you get infected when you’re around somebody who is spreading the virus.

If all you have is a cloth mask, it’s still better than nothing. In studies of various face masks, cloth masks with multiple layers and higher thread counts “have demonstrated superior performance when compared to single layers of cloth with lower thread counts, but are still less effective than medical-grade masks.

Wearing a cloth mask over a medical-grade mask can better protect you and others by improving fit and therefore filtration capacity.”
Commercially, there are two ‘types’ of the recommended surgical masks available, the N95 masks and the KN95 masks. They differ in the country that certifies them: the N95 is a US certifying standard, while the KN95 is a Chinese standard. As in everything else, beware of ‘fake masks’.

It seems that COVID-19 and its many relatives will continue to arrive uninvited to our islands. If we hope to survive 2021, and thrive in 2022 and beyond, avoid “12 days of Isolation” and the local cemetery. Keep up to date with your vaccines, wash your hands, watch your social distancing, and always wear your fully protective face mask (s).