The 3rd International Electronic Conference on Environmental Research and Public Health Proceedings The Use of Masks by Medical University Students during A Pandemic as a Means of Non-Specific Coronavirus Infection Prevention Oleg V. Mitrokhin, Ekaterina A. Shashina *, Valentina V. Makarova Department of General Hygiene I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), 119991, Moscow, Russia; mov1163@yandex.ru (O.V.M.); makarovavalentina64@gmail.com (V.V.M.) * Correspondence: E-mail: kat10@mail.ru Tel.: +7-926-930-89-59 Abstract: During a pandemic, it is necessary to pay clos e attention to the measures of non-specific prevention of infection emergence in the population. The objective of a Study was to get understanding of the significance of the recommendations of WHO, and Rospotrebnadzor on the use of face masks and their implementation during a pandemic by medical university students. The questionnaire method was used. 75.4% of the surveyed consider wearing masks an adequate measure to combat COVID-19. At the same time, 94.9% wore a mask during the period of severe restrictions from March to June 2020, observing the security measures adopted in the country. During the period of easing restrictions from June to September, this per- centage dropped to 69.7, and in the period when students started full-time studies at the university (from September to October), it reached 99%. 100% wear a mask within the walls of the university. Most of the respondents believe that disposable fabric masks are ineffective for protection against bacteria and viruses, but wearing them is justified in terms of protecting against the ingress of saliva and mucus particles into the body of the wearer and into the environment. 83.7% believe that wear- ing masks during a pandemic is necessary for the entire population. 2/3 of students are aware of the rules for using masks. The main reasons for refusing to use masks are difficulty in breathing and vision. Disposable medical masks were the most popular type of masks. Skin reactions to wearing masks were noted by 65% of the students. The most common side effects were redness, dryness, and itching of the skin, as well as the appearance of rashes. Conclusions: medical students believe that wearing face masks during a pandemic is an adequate response to COVID-19 and have the knowledge to carefully select and use personal protective equipment. Most of the respondents have a civic responsibility, understand the value of masks, and can actively promote their use among the population. Keywords: COVID pandemic; face mask; protective measures; medical students 1. Introduction The coronavirus pandemic has posed a serious challenge to humanity. The number of sick people is estimated at tens of millions, deaths are close to 1.5 mln. Most countries have entered the second wave of sickness Rate growth, and in 2021 its third rise is pre- dicted. For almost a year, scientists around the world have been actively developing ef- fective vaccines and drugs. At the same time, even the creation of specific means of pre- venting COVID-19 may be insufficient to completely overcome the spread of the epidemic process. Due to several objective and subjective reasons, it is quite difficult to cover a large part of the population with vaccination in a short time: it is necessary to bear in mind the Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neu- tral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and insti- tutional affiliations. Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Submitted for possible open access publication under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/li- censes/by/4.0/).