As the UK continues its battle against the coronavirus, face masks are becoming the new normal.
It is now mandatory to wear them in places such as public transport, and they are recommended in public, to protect us against the deadly Covid-19.
By July 24, it will become law to wear face coverings in supermarkets and enclosed spaces.
However, there have been claims made that having your mouth and nose covered for prolonged periods - even by breathable fabrics like cotton - could restrict airflow, reports North Wales Live.
Some people have even claimed on social media that masks could cause carbon dioxide (CO2) poisoning.
Doctors have taken to social media to debunk these false claims and to remind people that “the good masks might do outweighs the sweaty faces they might cause”.
Both surgical masks and face coverings are porous. This means that air can move through the material but it’s much harder for droplet containing germs, that you’d otherwise inhale or exhale, to get in or out.
Doctor Ravi Jayaram, a Paediatrician based in Chester took to Facebook and Twitter yesterday to share his oxygenation levels before and after wearing a mask for 10 minutes.
In both cases, his oxygen levels were exactly the same.
In the Facebook post, he said: “Well who’d have thought it? I wore a surgical mask for 10 minutes and it made no difference to my oxygenation.
“So ignore all the utterly mad social media scaremongering. Masks don’t affect your oxygen levels.
"They do however reduce the risk of you unknowingly infecting someone around you though.
"So on balance, the good they might do outweighs the sweaty faces they might cause.
Dr Daniel Menzies, Consultant in Respiratory Medicine at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd in Wales said: “I would like to reassure members of the public that the use of face masks and coverings is not dangerous in any way.
“Face masks certainly do not impact your oxygen levels or restrict your breathing.
“My advice would be to continue to use and wear them as appropriate.”