the hypocrite....
i know i should b the last person to advise ppl on the importance of using face mask to prevent H1N1 :P coz u guys know me lah, the hypocrite, at one hand die die tell ppl how important it is to prevent H1N1, at the other hand i just happily go to public placeSSS without any precaution step.
anyway doesnt matter abt my hypocrisy, just that recently have been receiving forwarded emailsss abt the uselessness of N95 face mask, and things like that, arguing that N95 pore is bigger than the virus size, which im not sure how true is it. someone even give an analogy as using and mosquito net umbrella under heavy rain *rolleyes*
with all due respect to everyone (including the author of that article), i can share with u my poor understanding, which other more professional ppl happen to have same understanding as mine.
the virus doesnt travel as individual virus alone, it travel in DROPLET produced when patient of H1N1 cough or sneezing. furthermore the definition of N95 mask is the mask will stop 95% of particles that are 0.3 micrometers or larger in size. if i were to use the same analogy, the rain and the mosquito net umbrella, i think i can say, imagine u r overlapping many layers of mosquito net to produce the umbrella, and use it during heavy SNOWfall (NOT rainfall, coz we r talking abt virus in a droplet), so does it help to give u some protection? of coz it does, but can it guarantee u, that u will not experience even a single drop of water? noooo... chances are there, especially when the snow melt later on, thats why the face mask need to be changed in regular interval. when the pharmacist tell u this, dont stare at them as if he wants to suck ur blood more (unless u r very cute, then u have the right to think so :P)
and the vaccine that available in local clinic or hospital does not help to prevent u from from H1N1. it does help to prevent seasonal flu but not H1N1 flu.
for more reading u can visit these sites:
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/guidance_homecare.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/masks.htm
wish everyone of u have a H1N1-free weeks ahead kekeee...