Weekly Health Quiz: Face Masks, Vaccines and Pollution

1 Which of the following is a possible consequence of wearing a face mask?

• Increased risk of bacterial and/or fungal infections

  The humidity inside the mask will rapidly allow pathogenic bacteria to grow and multiply. By breathing through a microbe-infested mask, you risk inhaling these pathogens. Bacterial pneumonia, facial rashes, fungal infections on the face, "mask mouth" (bad breath, tooth decay and gum inflammation) and candida mouth infections have all risen after mask mandates were implemented. The presence of microbes in your lungs can also worsen lung cancer pathogenesis. Learn more.

• Not needing a vaccine
• Improved immune function
• Increased risk of estrogen-sensitive cancers