The World Health Organization (WHO) released a video that outlines safety measures for individuals who opt to wear reusable cloth (fabric) masks instead of disposable medical masks.
WHO stated that wearing of masks must be done in conjunction with other safety measures such as frequent handwashing, social distancing, and limiting physical contact, among others.
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Here are their step-by-step recommendations:
– Clean your hands before you put on your cloth mask.
– Inspect the mask and do not use it if it is damaged or dirty
– Cover your mouth, nose and chin
– Adjust the mask to your face, leaving no gaps on the sides
– Avoid touching the mask while wearing it
– To take off the mask, clean your hands first.
– Remove it by the straps behind the head or ears, without touching the front of the mask
– As you remove the mask, pull it away from your face
– Clean your hands after taking off any mask
– If you need to re-use a cloth mask, store it in a clean, re-sealable bag
– Hold the mask at the elastic ends when removing it from the bag and make sure it is not dirty or wet before wearing it again.
– Wash fabric masks in soap or detergent preferably with hot water, at least once a day.
– Make sure you have your own mask and do not share it with others.
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WHO furthers that all these steps will help keep the wearer safe whenever s/he uses cloth masks. The international health organization urged the public to keep all other preventive measures in mind when wearing a mask.
“When wearing a mask, make sure you know how to put in on, use it, remove it, and discard or wash it correctly. Remember that a mask alone cannot protect you. When wearing a mask, continue to adopt other measures to prevent the spread of the virus,” advised WHO.
Watch the video here:
