Ingxoxo yakutshanje eqhubekayo—kunye nokuguqulwa komgaqo-nkqubo—ngokusetyenziswa kweemaski zobuso ukuthintela ukusasazeka kweCovid-19 kutyhila umgangatho ophindwe kabini ocacileyo. Ngesizathu esithile, besiwuphatha ngendlela eyahlukileyo lo mba wempilo yoluntu. Asiboni iingxoxo ezibuza ukuba ngaba abantu kufuneka bahlale kude omnye komnye esitratweni, endaweni yeeenyawo ezintathu, okanye ezibangela amathandabuzo okuba yingcamango elungileyo na ukukhuthaza amaxesha okuhlamba izandla anobude bemizuzwana engama-20. Kodwa xa kufikwa ekugqumeni ubuso bethu, kuye kwasetyenziswa indlela engqongqo kakhulu. Kwiiveki zakutshanje, iingcali ziye zacebisa ukuba kulumke—okanye zala ukusetyenziswa kweemaski luluntu ngokubanzi—njengoko bezicela ubungqina obungcono nobucacileyo. Ngoba?
Bachanekile, ewe, ukuba uncwadi lophando malunga nokusetyenziswa kweemaski aluniki zimpendulo zicacileyo. Akukho zilingo zinkulu zeklinikhi ezibonisa ukuba ukusetyenziswa kweemaski kunokuthintela ukusasazeka kobhubhane; kwaye ezo zijonga iimaski kunye nomkhuhlane zivelise iziphumo ezingacacanga. Kodwa obu bungqina buncinci abusixeleli okuninzi, nokuba yeyiphi na indlela: Ezi zilingo azibonisi ukuba iimaski ziluncedo, nokuba ziyingozi okanye zichitha ixesha. Kungenxa yokuba izifundo bezimbalwa kwaye zigcwele iingxaki zendlela yokusebenza.
Umzekelo, cinga ngovavanyo olukhulu olucwangcisiweyo lokusetyenziswa kweemaski phakathi kwabafundi basekholejini baseMelika kwixesha lomkhuhlane lika-2006-07. Ukuncipha kwezifo phakathi kwabo banxibe iimaski zobuso kolo phononongo kwakungabalulekanga ngokwezibalo. Kodwa ngenxa yokuba uphando lwenziwe ngexesha elathi labonakala lilixesha elingephi lomkhuhlane, uvavanyo lwalungenawo amandla ezibalo kuloo mbuzo; bekungekho bantu baneleyo abagulayo ukuba abaphandi bafumanise ukuba ukunxiba iimaski kuphucukile na kucoceko lwezandla kuphela. Babengenakukwazi nokuthintela ukuba abafundi sele besulelekile ngaphambi kokuba uvavanyo luqale.
Okanye thatha olunye uphando ngexesha elifanayo lomkhuhlane, ngeli xesha eOstreliya, olungafumananga siphumo siqinisekileyo. Elo lijonge abantu abadala abahlala nabantwana abanomkhuhlane. Bangaphantsi kwesiqingatha sabantu ababekwe ngokungacwangciswanga kwiqela labanxibi beemaski baxele ukuba bazisebenzisa “ixesha elininzi okanye lonke.” Enyanisweni, babehlala belala ecaleni kwabantwana babo abagulayo ngaphandle kwabo. Oku akufani kangako nombuzo wokuba ngaba ufanele unxibe imaski phakathi kwabantu ongabaziyo evenkileni yokutya phakathi kobhubhane.
Kodwa nantsi into: Umntu unokwenza izikhalazo ezifanayo malunga nobungqina obuxhasa ukusetyenziswa kweemaski ngabasebenzi bezempilo. Nangona wonke umntu evuma ukuba olu hlobo lonyango lubaluleke kakhulu kwizibhedlele nakwiikliniki, oko akubangelwa kukuba sinobungqina obuqinisekileyo obuvela kwiimvavanyo ezingacwangciswanga. Iimvavanyo ezimbalwa zeklinikhi esinazo zokusebenzisa iimaski kubasebenzi bezempilo ukuthintela umkhuhlane azibonisi siphumo sicacileyo; kwaye azinakubonisa nokuba ii-respirator ze-N95 ezinamandla zisebenza ngcono kuneemaski zotyando. Ezo mvavanyo nazo azilunganga kwaphela. Umzekelo, umntu wavavanya ukusebenza kweemaski zelaphu ngokuthelekisa abasebenzi bezempilo abazinxibileyo nabo banxibe iimaski zotyando okanye ii-respirator, kunye neqela lolawulo elilandela "uqheliselo oluqhelekileyo" esibhedlele. Kwavela ukuba uninzi lwabasebenzi kwiqela lolawulo babenxibe iimaski zotyando nangona kunjalo, ngoko ke uphando alukwazanga ukubonisa ukuba iimaski zelaphu zingcono (okanye zimbi) kunokunganxibi iimaski kwaphela.
Enyanisweni, isiseko sesayensi sabasebenzi bezempilo abasebenzisa iimaski asiveli kuvavanyo lweklinikhi lokuqhambuka komkhuhlane okanye ubhubhane. Sivela kwiimodeli zelebhu ezibonisa ukuba iimaski zinokuthintela amasuntswana eentsholongwane ukuba angangeni—ubuncinane kukho amashumi amabini anesibini—kwaye zivela kwizifundo zolawulo lwamatyala ngexesha lobhubhane we-coronavirus ka-2003 owabangela i-SARS. Ezo zifundo ze-SARS azizange ziphelele kubasebenzi bezempilo.
Liyinyaniso elokuba abasebenzi bezempilo okanye abanye abantu abanyamekela abantu abagula yiCovid-19 bachaphazeleka kakhulu kumanqanaba aphezulu e-coronavirus kunaye nabani na omnye. Kwimeko yokunqongophala kweemaski, ngokucacileyo banebango eliphambili lokufikelela kuzo. Kodwa eso asisosizathu sokuthi akukho nkxaso yokusebenzisa iimaski ngabanye abantu. Kaloku, akukho zilingo zonyango ezibonisa ukuba umgama weenyawo ezi-6 uthintela usulelo, ngokokwazi kwethu. (I-World Health Organisation icebisa kuphela ukwahlukana kweenyawo ezi-3.) Kananjalo iimvavanyo zonyango azibonisi ukuba ukuhlamba izandla zethu imizuzwana engama-20 kungcono kunokwenza njalo imizuzwana eli-10 xa kufikwa ekunciphiseni ukusasazeka kwesifo kubhubhane wesifo sokuphefumla. Isiseko sesayensi saloo ngcebiso yokuhlamba izandla yemizuzwana engama-20 evela kwiZiko lase-US loLawulo lweZifo kunye nokuThintela sivela kwizifundo zelebhu ezilinganisa intsholongwane ezandleni emva kwamaxesha ahlukeneyo okuhlamba.
Ngoko ke yayiyintoni imvelaphi yale milinganiselo mibini malunga neemaski zobuso—kwaye kutheni ekugqibeleni yayekiswa?
Ndicinga ukuba kungenxa yokuba besisoloko siyithatha kancinci le ntsholongwane, ngelixa siqikelela kakhulu amandla ethu okulwa nayo. UMiao Hua, ingcali yezentlalo kunye nomhlali wezonyango kwiSibhedlele iMount Sinai eNew York City, wothuswa kukwahluka kwendlela abantu abajonga ngayo ulawulo losulelo e-US xa kuthelekiswa neWuhan. E-China, wabhala kwiiveki ezimbalwa ezidlulileyo, ukusasazeka kwezibhedlele kwakhawuleza kwaphelisa ingcamango yokuba amaqhinga okuzibamba rhoqo ayanele ukunqanda le coronavirus intsha. Oko wayekuva e-China kwakungaqhelekanga, utshilo, kwaye ngakumbi kuxhalabisa ngenxa "yokusilela koluntu lwezonyango lwaseMelika ukubhalisa ubunye bembali ye-Covid-19".
Utshintsho lwakutshanje lwe-CDC ekuxhaseni iimaski lubonisa ukuba oku kuqatshelwe kudala kusenokwenzeka ukuba ekugqibeleni kwenziwe. Ingxelo ye-arhente ithi olu tshintsho lubangelwe bubungqina obuqokelelweyo bokuba esi sifo asisasazeki ngendlela efanayo nomkhuhlane: ukuba abantu banokusuleleka kwaye bangabi nazimpawu, kwaye intsholongwane inokusasazwa ngokuthetha, kunye nokukhohlela, ukuthimla, kunye nokuchukumisa iindawo ezingcolisiweyo.
Ndicinga ukuba ukungafuni ukukhuthaza ukusetyenziswa kweemaski luluntu ngokubanzi, kunye nokusetyenziswa komgangatho ophindwe kabini kubungqina obuxhasayo, kwakubangelwa kukuxhalaba kokuba abantu bebengenakukwazi ukusebenzisa iimaski ngaphandle kokuzingcolisa. Okanye ukuba iimaski bezinokubonelela ngemvakalelo yokhuseleko olungeyonyani, nto leyo ebakhokelela ekubeni bayeke ukusondelana nabanye okanye ezinye iindlela. Unxibelelwano olusebenzayo lubalulekile apha, nangona kunjalo, njengokuba bekunjalo kwindlela yokuhlamba izandla ngokupheleleyo. UStella Quah, ingcali yezentlalo kwiYunivesithi yaseSingapore, wafunda ngemiba yoluntu yobhubhane we-SARS eSingapore, apho iphulo lezempilo yoluntu laliquka imfundo malunga nococeko lwezandla, kunye nokulinganisa amaqondo obushushu kunye nokusetyenziswa ngokufanelekileyo kweemaski zobuso. I-CDC itshintshe isikhokelo sayo semaski yobuso ngoLwesihlanu odlulileyo, yaza yathumela iingcebiso ezimbalwa malunga nendlela yokuzinxiba nokuzisusa, kunye nemiyalelo yokwenza eyakho ngokudibanisa iibhandana kunye nezihluzi zekofu.
Imfundo engaphezulu kunaleyo iya kuba yinto ebalulekileyo, nangona kunjalo, ukuba yonke loo mifanekiso siyibonayo kwiTV yabantu abaneemaski ezingagqumi impumlo okanye iisilevu zabo yinto enokulandelwa. Imbali yakutshanje inesifundo esifanayo. Emva kweNkanyamba uKatrina, izixhobo zokuphefumla zacetyiswa kuye nabani na owenza umsebenzi wokulungisa isikhunta eNew Orleans. Uphononongo lwendlela ezisebenze ngayo kwisampulu engacwangciswanga yabemi abangama-538 lubonise imfuneko yemfundo: Ngama-24 ekhulwini kuphela ababezinxiba ngokuchanekileyo, kwaye babedla ngokuba ngabantu ababezisebenzisa ngaphambili; okwangoku ama-22 ekhulwini abantu babefaka izixhobo zabo zokuphefumla zijonge ezantsi. Ababhali bolu phononongo bagqibe ngelithi: “Ungenelelo lokuphucula ukuphefumla kufuneka luqwalaselwe ekucwangciseni okanye kwiingxaki zobhubhane kunye neentlekele zomkhuhlane.” Uphononongo luka-2014 eWuhan lufumanise ukuba ukusetyenziswa ngokufanelekileyo kwezixhobo zokuphefumla kubasebenzi abangengabo abezempilo kwakuphezulu kakhulu emva koqeqesho.
Ngaba ukusetyenziswa ngokubanzi (nokufanelekileyo) kweemaski kunokwenza umahluko apho intsholongwane iphuncuke khona ekuthintelweni kwayo? Uphononongo luka-2018 lukaJin Yan kunye noogxa bakhe kwi-US Food and Drug Administration bakhe imodeli esekelwe kwiingqikelelo ezivela kwidatha yelebhu. Bagqibe kwelokuba ukuba kuphela ngama-20 ekhulwini abantu abasebenzisa iimaski, oko bekungayi kwenza mahluko ekusasazekeni komkhuhlane. Nangona kunjalo, xa kusetyenziswa iimaski zotyando ezihluzwa kakhulu, isiphumo sinokuba sikhulu. Loo nto yimiphumo nje yethiyori, kwaye siyazi ukuba ukuqhambuka kweCovid-19 kuye kwabanjwa kwiindawo ezingenazo ukusetyenziswa ngokubanzi kweemaski. Kwelinye icala, xa ukuqhambuka kungalawuleki, nokuba negalelo elincinci libalulekile.
Ekugqibeleni, kunzima ukubalekela ukurhanelwa kokuba umgangatho ophindwe kabini malunga neemaski awunanto yakwenza nesayensi kunomahluko wenkcubeko kwindlela esisabela ngayo kwiintsholongwane ezibulalayo. Lo mahluko ubonakale ukususela ubuncinane kubhubhane wokuqala we-coronavirus, i-SARS, owatshintsha isimo sengqondo kunye nokuziphatha malunga nempilo yoluntu e-Asia. Akupheleli nje kwiimaski: Amazwe angengowase-Asia nawo aziphathe ngendlela eyahlukileyo ekuhloleni amaqondo obushushu abantu okanye ekubulaleni iintsholongwane kwiindawo zikawonke-wonke. Akukho nto intsha ngale ndlela, nangona kunjalo. Sihlala sicela ubungqina obukhethekileyo xa umkhwa ungahambelani neengcinga zethu zangaphambili. Oko, ngelishwa, kuqhelekile kakhulu; kwaye izazinzulu azikhuselekanga.
I-WIRED ibonelela ngokufikelela simahla kumabali malunga nempilo yoluntu kunye nendlela yokuzikhusela ngexesha lobhubhane we-coronavirus. Bhalisela incwadana yethu yeendaba yoHlaziyo lweCoronavirus ukuze ufumane uhlaziyo lwamva nje, kwaye ubhalisele ukuxhasa ubuntatheli bethu.
I-WIRED yindawo apho ikamva lifezekiswa khona. Ngumthombo obalulekileyo wolwazi kunye neengcinga eziqondakalayo kwihlabathi eliguquka rhoqo. Incoko ye-WIRED ikhanyisa indlela itekhnoloji etshintsha ngayo yonke into ebomini bethu—ukusuka kwinkcubeko ukuya kwishishini, isayensi ukuya kuyilo. Uphuhliso kunye nezinto ezintsha esizifumanisayo zikhokelela kwiindlela ezintsha zokucinga, unxibelelwano olutsha, kunye namashishini amatsha.
© 2020 Condé Nast. Onke amalungelo agciniwe. Ukusetyenziswa kwale sayithi kuthetha ukwamkelwa kweSivumelwano sethu soMsebenzisi (esihlaziyiweyo nge-1/1/20) kunye noMgaqo-nkqubo waBucala kunye neNgxelo yeKhuki (ehlaziyiweyo nge-1/1/20) kunye namalungelo akho oBucala aseCalifornia. Musa ukuthengisa ulwazi lwam lobuqu I-Wired inokufumana inxalenye yentengiso kwiimveliso ezithengwa ngewebhusayithi yethu njengenxalenye yoBudlelwane bethu boBudlelwane nabathengisi. Izinto ezikule sayithi azinakuphinda zikhutshwe, zisasazwe, zidluliselwe, zigcinwe okanye zisetyenziswe ngenye indlela, ngaphandle kwemvume ebhaliweyo yangaphambili ye-Condé Nast. Ukukhetha iNtengiso
Ixesha lokuthumela: Epreli-09-2020