COVID-19: Wearing A Mask Is Necessary; What’s The Right Way To Wear It

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the recently discovered coronavirus. The COVID-19 virus spreads primarily through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus enters the body via nose, mouth and eyes. Some recent studies suggest that virus may be airborne and can be spread through fine infected droplets that remain suspended in the air in closed air-conditioned environments of offices, AC cabs-buses, shopping malls and theatres due to absence of cross-ventilation, even when you are not in direct contact with an infected person. Wearing a mask is a mandatory requirement.

Do’s and Don’t for Wearing a Mask:

When you are wearing a facemask:

• Do secure the elastic bands around your ears.
• Do secure the ties at the middle of your head and base of your head.

When wearing a facemask, don’t do the following:

• Don’t wear your face mask under your nose or mouth.
• Don’t allow a strap to hang down. Don’t cross the straps.
• Don’t touch or adjust your facemask without cleaning your hands before and after.
• Don’t wear your face mask on your head.
• Don’t wear your face mask around your neck.
• Don’t wear your face mask around your arm.

When removing a facemask:

• Do remove your facemask touching ONLY straps or ties.
• After removing your mask clean your hands with 70% alcohol based hand sanitizer or soap and water.

Use of Exhalation Valve Face mask:

• Do not use a facemask with Exhalation valve because a mask with a valve may protect you from some pathogens in the air, but it doesn’t protect the people around you from your own breath.
• When you wear a mask with a valve, a significant portion of your exhaled air is entirely unfiltered. Masks with valves are meant to protect from pollution.

References:

• Ministry of Health & Family Welfare Guidelines

• WHO guidebook for Support for Rehabilitation Self-Management after COVID19- Related Illness

• US- Centre for disease Control (CDC)

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