In times like now when social distancing and wearing a mask has become a necessity to stay safe from Coronavirus, the intimate moments of loved ones have gone for a toss. However, very recently we saw many popular figures from different sections of a society exchanging ‘masked kiss’ with their lovers, partners.
Also Read: Science behind smooching? Here is the reason why people kiss each other
US Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff caused an internet uproar when they exchanged a brief smooch while wearing masks — despite the fact that both received their second vaccine dose in late January.
Even Justin Bieber and his wife Hailey Baldwin recently visited a coffee shop where they shared a cute PDA moment. In the video posted by Chance the Rapper on an Instagram story, the couple is seen sharing a kiss with their masks on.
Also Read: Watch | Viral video of ‘wife of the year’ kissing husband during Zoom call
The same is with Indian celebrities.
Photographer Viral Bhayani shared how some of the contestants of the new season of ‘Khatron Ke Khiladi’ were exchanging goodbye kisses with their partners at the airport.
But the question is how safe are the masked kisses?
Dr. Rohit Kumar, Medical Director of Medeor Hospital says that masked kiss is a complete no in today’s time. “Firstly, it’s not safe and secondly, social distancing is not maintained in the process. Yes, even I saw a lot of celebrities kissing publicly, with masks on especially at the airports but this is not safe at all considering the pandemic.
“When you kiss while wearing the mask, you have to know that the outside covering of the mask is covered with bacteria, the mask is protecting you from inside not outside. Still, even the other person might not have a virus on his / her mask, but while kissing the virus might go to the other person or any other part of the body also, so kissing while masks on is not recommended at all and one should avoid the practice of doing so,” he told Opoyi.
Dr. Shweta Goswami, Sr. Consultant IVF from Jaypee Hospital and Associate Director from Cloudnine Hospital Noida, says that “conditions in India especially at the moment are very different from what’s in the US where a large part of the population is now vaccinated.”
“Even then, looking at the way the virus is mutating itself so rapidly, becoming more and more infectious and even vaccines are not completely protective hence we should not drop our guards at this point in time,” she told Opoyi.
New Delhi-based Dr. Anubha Singh, Gynecologist and Medical Director from Shantah Fertility Centre says that always remember that a mask protects the other person in how it limits the spread of your respiratory droplets.
“For masks to truly reduce the risks of getting COVID-19, both people would have to wear a mask: mutual masking. But it might not be a strategy that works for everyone,” she said and added that “masks are like condoms until you know how to wear them correctly, and yes they are not 100 percent safe. Hence be very careful while kissing.”
Dr. Shobha Gupta, Medical Director from Mother’s Lap IVF Centre seconds the opinion and says that “it’s very dangerous.”
“Outer surface of the mask has a maximum virus of other people so the close contact with a mask on is very very dangerous. Hence, I would advise avoiding face-to-face contact or closeness.”
“It is still a questionable thing, your protective layer over your nose might not be good enough because the virus is readily transmitted by aerosols. One should be very careful and avoid kissing even with the mask on,” she said.
