"Therapeutic" facemasks

Med Hypotheses. 2020 Oct:143:109855. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2020.109855. Epub 2020 May 19.

Abstract

There must be pathophysiological reason why "cold" viruses like SARS-CoV-2 show proclivity to nasal cavity, oral cavity, pharyngeal cavity and upper airways which have lower temperature than core body temperature. Henceforth, facemasks' "therapeutic" role against SARS-CoV-2 must be explored because personal "therapeutic" environments may get created under facemasks due to rebreathing of ~95°F "hot" and ~80% "humid" exhalations which may constantly mitigate SARS-CoV-2 inside nasal cavity, oral cavity, pharyngeal cavity and upper airways.

Publication types

  • Letter

MeSH terms

  • Betacoronavirus
  • Body Temperature
  • COVID-19
  • Coronavirus Infections / prevention & control*
  • Exhalation
  • Humans
  • Humidity
  • Masks*
  • Mouth / virology
  • Nasal Cavity / virology
  • Pandemics / prevention & control*
  • Pharynx / virology
  • Pneumonia, Viral / prevention & control*
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Trachea / virology