Coronavirus cases are continuing to grow, and countries around the world have implemented lockdown conditions. Strict rules on the reasons people can leave their homes are in place, including some countries insisting on wearing face masks when out in public.
Coronavirus spreads from person to person, through small droplets from the nose or mouth.
These droplets are then spread when a person sneezes, coughs or exhales, landing on objects and surfaces around the person.
Then other people catch the virus through touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth.
COVID-19 can also be caught through breathing in droplets from a person with the virus when these are coughed or exhaled.
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This is why an advised distance of two metres has been implemented in social situations such as supermarkets or walking on the street.
Should I wear a face mask?
Current guidance from the European Centre for Disease Control states medical face masks should be prioritised for healthcare workers.
However, it also states non-surgical face masks worn by the public could help control the spread of the virus in social situations.
The Centres for Disease Control also recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g. supermarkets and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidance, if you are healthy, you need only to wear a face mask if:
- You are looking after a person with COVID-19
- You are coughing or sneezing
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The WHO advises face masks are only effective when “used in combination with frequent hand-cleaning with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.”
To put on a face mask correctly, follow the steps below
Before putting on a mask, clean hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
Cover mouth and nose with mask and make sure there are no gaps between your face and the mask.
Avoid touching the mask while using it; if you do, clean your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
Replace the mask with a new one as soon as it is damp and do not re-use single-use masks.
To remove the mask: remove it from behind (do not touch the front of the mask); discard immediately in a closed bin; clean hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
If you do not have a surgical mask or N95 mask, you can make your own at home from tightly woven cotton fabric.
The CDC advises any cloth face masks should
- fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
- be secured with ties or ear loops
- include multiple layers of fabric
- allow for breathing without restriction
- be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape
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