During the coronavirus pandemic, the public has been asked to wear face coverings when out and about, in shops and on transport.
Many people have complied with this in order to help reduce the spread of the virus, but there are some people who still refuse to wear a face mask.
One doctor recently heard a number of people claim they weren’t wearing face coverings because they found it difficult to breathe with one on.
So Megan Hall decided to do a little experiment, with a few different types of masks, to see whether or not they really did have a big impact on the body.
Hall, who lives in South Carolina in the US, shared her findings on Facebook in a post which has since gone viral.
The physician tested four different scenarios, one with no mask, one with a surgical mask, one with an N95 mask (a type of respirator) and an N95 plus surgical mask, which she says is what most healthcare providers in the US are wearing right now.
She spent five minutes with each mask on and measured her oxygen saturation and heart rate at the end of the time period.
Immediately prior to the experiment, she had been wearing the surgical mask for five hours at work.
The results were very telling, showing little change between the four scenarios.
With no mask on, her oxygen saturation was at 98 percent, with her heart rate at 64 beats per minute.
When wearing the surgical mask, her oxygen level remained the same, but heart rate went up to 68.
While both the N95 masks gave an oxygen saturation reading of 99 percent and heart rate at 69 beats per minute.
Speaking about the experiment, Megan said: “There is no significant change in my oxygen saturation (or HR) in any scenario. Though maybe inconvenient for some, you can still breathe.
“As a physician, I urge you and ask you to please wear a mask to protect yourself and those who cannot safely wear a mask (many of my patients because they are under two years old).
“Unless you are face down with a knee on your neck, I’m confident you can still breathe.”
More than 32,000 people have shared her post, with over 15,000 liking it.
One person replied: “A wonderful education from someone in the know! A lot of people’s arguments are selfish and ridiculous! Thanks for your test!”
Another commented: “Great demo and PSA.”
A third added: “You know what’s really uncomfortable? Pants. But I still wear them in public, not for me, for others. Wear the damn mask.”
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