Wearing a mask is not something people are used to doing. Make sure you are doing it correctly so that you get the best protection. Most people in India are currently wearing a cloth mask or a DIY home mask.
The main reason for wearing a cloth mask is to protect other people. If you are wearing a cloth mask over your mouth and nose and you cough or sneeze, the mask can catch respiratory droplets and keep them from landing on other people.
If you are wearing a mask and someone next to you coughs or sneezes, their respiratory droplets would hit your mask instead of your mouth and hopefully (if made of multiple layers) would prevent the passage of any micro-organisms ! But, it is very important to not touch the front of your mask. And if you do forget and touch the front of your mask, make sure you wash your hands right away.
The cloth masks also keep you from inadvertently touching your mouth or nose with unwashed hands.
Benefits of homemade/ cloth face masks
Risks of homemade/ cloth face masks
- After cleaning your hands with soap, place the face mask over your nose and mouth. Make sure there are no gaps between the face mask and your face, and ensure a tight seal. Try to avoid touching the face mask when wearing it. If you do touch the face mask, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer again.
- Some people are modifying the straps or loops with clips and other items behind their head. This is all fine – as long as it fits securely over your nose and mouth, and as long as you can still breathe! Remember – this means you should not slip your mask off your nose, or down around your chin. To work, the mask needs to cover your nose and mouth.
- When you are done using the face mask, remove it without touching the front of the face mask, and discard it into a closed bin. Wash your hands again after discarding the face mask.
- And, if you are using a cloth mask, make sure you’re washing the mask daily so it stays clean. We recommend atleast seven masks for each day of the week, so that they are cleaned and dried before reuse.
The main reason for wearing a cloth mask is to protect other people. If you are wearing a cloth mask over your mouth and nose and you cough or sneeze, the mask can catch respiratory droplets and keep them from landing on other people.
If you are wearing a mask and someone next to you coughs or sneezes, their respiratory droplets would hit your mask instead of your mouth and hopefully (if made of multiple layers) would prevent the passage of any micro-organisms ! But, it is very important to not touch the front of your mask. And if you do forget and touch the front of your mask, make sure you wash your hands right away.
The cloth masks also keep you from inadvertently touching your mouth or nose with unwashed hands.
Benefits of homemade/ cloth face masks
- Cloth face masks are cheap, reusable and can be made at home .
- They may lower the risk of people without symptoms transmitting the virus through speaking, coughing, or sneezing.
- They’re better than not using any mask and offer some protection, especially where social distancing is hard to maintain.
Risks of homemade/ cloth face masks
- They provide a false sense of security. While cloth face masks offer some degree of protection, they offer a lot less protection than surgical masks or respirators. Unless it has multiple layers in it, a cloth face mask may be less than half as effective as surgical mask and up to 10 times less effective than N95 respirators.
- They don’t replace or reduce the need for other protective measures. Proper hygiene practices and social distancing are still the best methods of keeping yourself safe.
SURGICAL / 3-PLY MASK
A surgical mask or a 3-ply mask with a nose-pin is a rectangle shaped mask, easily available, inexpensive (costs around Rs. 10 each) and is highly recommended for all. The mask does not filter out smaller aerosol particles and air leakage can occur through the sides of the mask as you inhale. But it still offers better protection than a single/double layer cloth mask.
Though it can’t completely protect against infection with SARS-CoV-2, it is still our mask of choice provided it is used as a disposable covering.
A surgical mask or a 3-ply mask with a nose-pin is a rectangle shaped mask, easily available, inexpensive (costs around Rs. 10 each) and is highly recommended for all. The mask does not filter out smaller aerosol particles and air leakage can occur through the sides of the mask as you inhale. But it still offers better protection than a single/double layer cloth mask.
Though it can’t completely protect against infection with SARS-CoV-2, it is still our mask of choice provided it is used as a disposable covering.
THE CORRECT WAY TO WEAR A SURGICAL MASK -
Always put the white layer inside.
A proper 3-ply surgical or medical mask has three layers – each with very specific functions :
COLORED ( BLUE/ GREEN ) - an outer hydrophobic layer, which repels water, blood and body fluids,
MIDDLE - a middle filter layer that is designed to filter bacteria, and
WHITE - an inner hydrophilic layer, which absorbs water, sweat and spit.
The mask should always cover the mouth,nose and chin.
Pinch the metal edge to contour the mask to the bridge of nose.
Always put the white layer inside.
A proper 3-ply surgical or medical mask has three layers – each with very specific functions :
COLORED ( BLUE/ GREEN ) - an outer hydrophobic layer, which repels water, blood and body fluids,
MIDDLE - a middle filter layer that is designed to filter bacteria, and
WHITE - an inner hydrophilic layer, which absorbs water, sweat and spit.
The mask should always cover the mouth,nose and chin.
Pinch the metal edge to contour the mask to the bridge of nose.