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3. Myth: Wearing a mask will increase the amount of carbon dioxide I breathe and will make me sick.
For many years, health care providers have worn masks for extended periods of time with no adverse health reactions. The CDC recommends wearing cloth masks while in public, and this option is very breathable. There is no risk of hypoxia, which is lower oxygen levels, in healthy adults. Carbon dioxide will freely diffuse through your mask as you breathe.
If you feel uncomfortable in your mask, try to limit your talking and breathe through your nose. That will reduce the humidity level in your mask.
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So researchers at McMaster University in Canada set out to test the notion out: They gave 25 adults (average age: 76.5 years) portable pulse oximeters to measure their blood oxygen levels while wearing a face mask, as well as before and after.
The investigators found no concerning signs of hypoxia, or reduced blood oxygen.
Of course, "this supports what we already knew," said Dr. Aaron Glatt, an infectious disease specialist who was not involved in the study. "There's no decrease in oxygen from wearing a mask."
Some people may feel uncomfortable wearing a mask, noted Glatt, a spokesman for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. But that's no excuse not to do it, he said.
I've bolded sections to make it easier to comprehend.
