Experts stresses public to continue wear masks in slowdown spread of COVID-19.

ISLAMABAD -- Leading experts on the transmission of the virus Thursday emphasized to general public on wearing face masks, saying they should be worn in public where social distancing is not possible to help stop the spread of coronavirus.

Health experts talking to PTV news channel stressed that even though there's been a downtrend in Coronavirus cases but there is still very important that people should continue to wear their masks and social distance on any public places.

Dr Faheem Younus Expert on virus said advised people not to panic but exercise caution by strictly adhering to basic protective measures, including hand and respiratory hygiene.

Dr recommended public to use cloth face masks and not masks such as N 95 or those required by healthcare workers, adding, a cloth face mask according to experts aims to slow or control the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

The COVID-19 pandemic is now a major threat to global health and economy, the full impact of which is yet unknown, he said.

The case load and deaths are gradually decreasing in Pakistan too, especially over these past week, he added.

Another health expert Dr Rana Jawad Asghar said Coronavirus pandemic cannot be controlled by governments alone. It needs the participation and passion of all the people of nation and it needs clear, feasible measures that ordinary citizens can undertake to help reduce transmission.

The smart lockdown has probably played a great role in flattening the epidemic curve thus far, but it cannot go on forever. It remains an experimental intervention not just for Pakistan but for other countries as well, he said.

He said with the well-accepted measures of physical distancing and frequent hand washing, the use of face masks or face covering is now emerging as a third pillar in community action doable and low-cost.

Dr Jawad explained that most people think that wearing a mask is for self-protection, and that is partially true but the main benefit of all people wearing masks is that in infected persons, the mask will help prevent these droplets from getting into the air and infecting others. They are thus reducing the spread of infection to others as well.

A leading...