戴醫用口罩能不能預防流感

Flu 2018 panic is in full swing, and with very good reason. Already termed "moderately severe" by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), indications are that this flu season will only get worse, and the flu has claimed the lives of at least 30 children (and many adults) so far. Meanwhile, a new study from the University of Maryland reveals that the flu virus doesn't require a sneeze or cough to become airborne; it can spread simply through breathing.

2018年，人們對流感的恐慌正值高潮，這是合情合理的。疾病預防與控制中心已將其稱爲"中重度"，但跡象表明流感季只會越來越嚴重，迄今爲止，流感已至少奪走30名兒童（和很多成年人）的生命。同時，馬里蘭大學的一項新研究表明，流感病毒並不需要噴嚏或咳嗽作爲載體，僅靠呼吸就能得以傳播。

But is masking your face a smart strategy, or merely an overreaction to flu fear?

但戴上口罩是不是一個明智的策略呢？亦或只是對流感恐懼的過度反應？

"Yes, a surgical mask can help prevent the flu," Sherif Mossad, MD, an infectious disease specialist at the Cleveland Clinic, tells Health. "Flu is carried in air droplets, so a mask would mechanically prevent the flu virus from reaching other people." It would work both ways, says Dr. Mossad, preventing transmission of the flu virus to others and for keeping a mask-wearer from picking up an infection.

"是的，醫用口罩可以預防流感，"克利夫蘭診所的傳染病專家謝里夫·摩薩德醫學博士對《健康》雜誌說道。"流感是在空氣中傳播的，所以口罩會機械地預防流感病毒感染其他人。"摩薩德醫生說道，口罩能產生兩方面的效果：預防流感病毒傳染給其他人；同時也預防口罩佩戴者感染病毒。

Surgical masks to prevent the flu can be found in major drugstores and online, and yours doesn't need to be fancy to help. "A simple disposable mask is fine, just be sure the packaging notes that it protects against airborne particles," Susan Besser, MD, a family medicine doctor with Mercy Personal Physicians at Overlea in Baltimore, Maryland tells Health. And splurge for a value-sized pack. "Disposable is best and you should discard your mask after each use," says Dr. Besser. "If a mask gets wet-and it will by simply breathing into it-the effectiveness of its protective effect is reduced."

可以在藥店和網上購買預防流感的醫用口罩，並不需要請求他人的幫助。"那種簡單的一次性口罩就可以了，但要確保包裝上的注意事項上寫着：防止吸入空氣中的顆粒物，"馬里蘭州巴爾的摩市歐弗利Mercy Personal Physicians的家庭醫學醫師蘇珊·貝瑟醫學博士對《健康》雜誌說道。買那種規格實惠的袋裝口罩。"一次性口罩是最好的，每次用完之後都應該扔掉，"貝瑟醫生說。"如果口罩溼了--可能是呼吸所致--那麼它的保護效果就會降低。"

Remember that a mask is not 100% effective and should complement, not replace, other strategies. If you have the flu, the number one thing you can do to avoid spreading it to others is to stay home, notes Dr. Besser. And to avoid picking up the bug yourself, "hand washing is always number one," she says. Getting your flu shot and covering your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze (with the crook of your arm, not your hand) are still imperative.

你要記住，口罩不是百分百有效的，應該是其它策略的補充品而不是替代品。如果你患了流感，你能做的第一件事就是呆在家裏。避免傳染給其他人，貝瑟醫生指出。想要避免流感，"洗手總是第一位的，"她說。注射流感疫苗、咳嗽或打噴嚏的時候捂住鼻子和嘴巴（用手臂捂住，而不是用手捂住）也是必要的。