Berto Dons a Face Mask to Beat Coronavirus and Toner Dust

Berto Dons a Face Mask to Beat Coronavirus and Toner Dust

In just a few short weeks, the world has been overwhelmed by the COVID-19 coronavirus which allegedly had its origins in Wuhan, China. The World Health Organization characterised coronavirus as a pandemic on March 11 and stressed that people in any of the 100+ countries that had been affected, needed to be more vigilant and thorough in the washing of hands and to wear a face mask to help reduce the chance of spreading or catching the deadly infection.

The wearing of face masks has always been important for those remanufacturing and manufacturing printer cartridges. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified as a 2B carcinogen, or “a dust that is possibly carcinogenic to humans.” While consumers are not exposed to it during normal use in printers and copiers, those factory workers who come in contact with it must be careful not to inhale it.

When it comes to the coronavirus, The Guardian reports, “wearing a face mask is certainly not an iron-clad guarantee that you won’t get sick – viruses can also transmit through the eyes and tiny viral particles, known as aerosols, can penetrate masks. However, masks are effective at capturing droplets, which is a main transmission route of coronavirus, and some studies have estimated a roughly fivefold protection versus no barrier alone (although others have found lower levels of effectiveness).

If you are likely to be in close contact with someone infected, a mask cuts the chance of the disease being passed on. If you’re showing symptoms of coronavirus, or have been diagnosed, wearing a mask can also protect others. So masks are crucial for health and social care workers looking after patients and are also recommended for family members who need to care for someone who is ill – ideally both the patient and carer should have a mask.

Cartoon #83 Berto Dons a Face Mask to Beat Coronavirus and Toner Dust

Last month’s Berto cartoon: The Best Way to Go Green – Berto saves the environment

Who is Berto? And where can you can see more of his work?  Click here.