Who Said Wet Wipes Can Be An Alternative Mask?

Illustration (Pixabay)

JAKARTA - On various social media, uploads containing a mother or woman show that wet wipes can be used as an alternative mask. This video has appeared and has gone viral since President Joko Widodo announced that for the first time two people had contracted the corona virus or COVID-19 in Indonesia.

In the video, a woman who is said to be a doctor by profession and named Dr. Enozthesia, is seen folding a piece of tissue in half and cutting it on the right and left sides so that the tissue can be hung over her ears.

Making an alternative mask from wet wipes By dr.Enozthezia 👌👌👌 pic.twitter.com/gaaTVOFiYM

- 𝚁𝚊𝙵 (@ RAgust02) March 2, 2020

The woman in the video said that when there are no masks, tissue can be an alternative substitute. He considered that the use of wet wipes could be a substitute for masks, which are now rare and expensive.

Responding to the viral video on social media Twitter, Secretary of the Directorate General of PDP, the Ministry of Health, Achmad Yurianto, said that wet wipes cannot be an alternative mask. This is because wet wipes do not create a filter against the inhaled air by the wearer but instead make dust stick.

"Wet wipes get dusted, they stick all of them wet inside and out. If you can, you can, you can. Ordinary paper can too," Yuri told reporters at the Ministry of Health's Office, Jalan Rasuna Said, South Jakarta, Tuesday, March 3.

The spokesperson for handling COVID-19 emphasized that if you really need a mask, the public should use a mask that should be like the N-95 mask and surgical mask.

In line with Yuri, a researcher in the field of microbiology from the LIPI Biology Research Center, Sugiyono Saputra also emphasized that wet wipes cannot be used as an alternative mask. The reason is, a good mask has several layers and this is not owned by tissue.

"No, a good mask has several different layers with their respective functions. There are three layers," said Sugiyono.

The filter layer is useful as an antidote to particles and germs. Also, a good mask has a waterproof coating to keep out droplets or fluids from outside and the wearer's mouth or nose.

Sugiyono also reminded that those who are healthy actually don't need to wear masks and look for other mask alternatives. Because, masks are for people who are sick.

"What is clear is that we wear masks if we are infected or we are treating an infected person," he said.

Regarding the use of masks, Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto had previously said that healthy people do not need to wear masks. This, he said, was in accordance with health procedures from the World Health Organization (WHO). He said that only sick people should wear a mask.

"You (a healthy person) do not need to mask where you go, you will think that you are sick. Only the sick are wearing masks so they don't infect. The healthy ones protect immunity," said Terawan.

Regarding the concern of people catching the COVID-19 virus, said Terawan, there is no need to overreact. Because, he said, not everyone who had close contact with a positive patient or suspect corona could immediately be infected. "Not everyone who comes into contact will become sick, depending on the condition of their bodies," he said.

Previously, the need for masks in Indonesia increased after information on the corona virus emerged in Wuhan, China, some time ago. Masks have become scarce and prices have shot up. In fact, some time ago, Polda Metro Jaya carried out raids on illegal mask factories and warehouses. The perpetrators deliberately made masks that were not in accordance with Indonesian national standards because they knew of the increasing need.