When to Use a Mask

• Before wearing the mask, clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer or soap and water.
• Cover the mouth and nose with the mask and make sure there are no spaces between your face and the mask.
• Avoid touching the mask while using it; If you do, clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer or soap and water.
• Replace the mask with a new one as soon as it becomes damp and do not reuse single-use masks.
• To remove the mask: remove it from the back (do not touch the front of the mask); Immediately dispose of it in a closed basket; Clean hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer or soap and water.

How to Wear Medical Masks

• If you are healthy, you only need to wear a mask if you are caring for someone with COVID-19.
• Wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing.
• Masks are only effective when used with frequent hand cleaning with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
• If you wear a mask, you should know how to use it and dispose of it properly.

Can a Face Mask Protect Me From Coronavirus? Covid-19 Myths Busted

However, masks will likely make a small difference if you’re walking around town or taking a bus, so there’s no need to buy huge quantities of a mask.

Wearing a face mask certainly isn’t an iron-clad guarantee that you won’t get sick — viruses can also travel through the eyes and tiny viral particles, known as aerosols, can penetrate masks. However, masks are effective at capturing droplets, which is a major route of transmission for the coronavirus and some studies have estimated protection at nearly five times greater than no barrier alone (although others have found lower levels of effectiveness).

If you are likely to be in close contact with an infected person, the mask limits the chance of transmission. If you develop symptoms of coronavirus or have been diagnosed, wearing a mask can also protect others. So masks are essential for health and social care workers who take care of patients and are also recommended for family members who need to care for a sick person – ideally both the patient and the caregiver should wear a mask.