A brand new form of face masks that enables wearers to maintain their nostril lined whereas consuming and consuming is being utilized by diners in South Korea.
The masks, known as 'Kosk', is meant to permit individuals to guard their nostrils from the specter of airborne viruses reminiscent of COVID-19 when they should eat or drink.
The Kosk might be worn like a typical face masks, which cowl each the nostril and the mouth, however has the added function that it may be folded up in order that it sits solely over the wearer's nostril.
The bizarre sort of masks, which has been designed by South Korean firm Atman, has gone viral on-line and has obtained combined responses.
The Kosk is on the market on-line from American-South Korean e-commerce firm coupang, with a pack of 10 promoting for the equal of round $11.42.
The product has obtained a five-star score from 118 critiques on the web site.
It has had diverse responses on social media, with critics and skeptics commenting issues like, "Is that this a joke?", and evaluating the masks to "teapots created from chocolate".
Others have welcomed the invention, saying they "adore it".
However what does an epidemiologist suppose?
Professor Catherine Bennett, Chair in Epidemiology inside Deakin's Institute for Well being Transformation, commented the invention was a "unusual concept".
She stated carrying the Kosk could be "higher than nothing", however that the wearer was in fact nonetheless weak to choosing up the virus via their mouth.
Professor Bennett stated the Kosk would possibly scale back the chance of catching COVID-19 for somebody who breathed primarily via their nostril, however that she would anticipate individuals consuming and speaking could be respiratory via their mouth.
"It most likely makes a marginal distinction," she stated.
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The professor famous the Kosk would doubtless cease the problem of individuals placing their masks in public locations, however stated it will doubtless additionally create the problem of individuals being much less more likely to keep in mind to cowl their mouths rapidly after they completed consuming.