Assessment of use and disposal of facemasks by the public of Kathmandu valley during COVID-19 pandemic.

Research Report.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction: Coronavirus Disease 19, including the original variant and different variants that developed later, started a global pandemic that swept across almost all boundaries of the world and resulted in death of millions of people. While it was a novel virus, possible methods to reduce rates of transmission were similar to the respiratory infections caused by previous Coronaviruses, including masks and social distancing and many regulatory bodies suggested the same. While people started using masks, proper usage and disposal is still challenging.

Methodology: Cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out to study the use and disposal of masks. Adult non-medical public of Kathmandu valley were included in the study. People with medical training were not included in the study because their level of knowledge may not reflect the knowledge of public.

Results: A total of 296 people participated in the study, among which 60.5% were male and 41.9% were from the age group 21-40 years. Most patients (80.7%) were literate or had received formal education. During the study, 90% of participants were using masks and the most used mask was surgical mask (49.8%). Among those who used masks, 90.2% followed correct technique of wearing masks but almost a third (30.2%) touched the outer surface. Almost everyone (99.7%) thought that using mask was necessary and 90.5% were confident that masks protect them from COVID-19. More than two thirds of participants (68.2%) thought that KN95 mask with a valve is the best mask. A large number of participants (43.2%) thought that fabric masks should be used by no one. Majority (50.3%) thought that masks should be replaced when they get wet, dirty and torn. Reusing a mask was normal for 93.2%, most common method to reuse was hanging somewhere in the room. Disposal in general dustbin was a norm for 94.3% of participants.

Conclusion: Proper use and disposal of masks is a challenge for regulatory authorities worldwide. While most participants were in support of masks and wore it properly, the knowledge and practice about the disposal of masks was deficient. Thus, effective interventions have to be implemented by authorities for change in the knowledge and practice of public.