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WHO’s COVID-19 advice: When and how to use a mask

| Updated: April 16, 2020 19:16:47


The ultrastructural morphology exhibited by the SARS-coV-2, which was identified as the cause of the COVID-19 disease first detected in Wuhan, China, is seen in an illustration released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, US, January 29, 2020. — Reuters The ultrastructural morphology exhibited by the SARS-coV-2, which was identified as the cause of the COVID-19 disease first detected in Wuhan, China, is seen in an illustration released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, US, January 29, 2020. — Reuters

The World Health Organization (WHO) has come up with an advice for the public about when and how to use a mask as the world is struggling with the personal protective equipment shortage amid the global COVID-19 pandemic.

When to use a mask

  • If you are healthy, you only need to wear a mask if you are taking care of a person with suspected 2019-nCoV infection.
  • Wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing.
  • Masks are effective only when used in combination with frequent hand-cleaning with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
  • If you wear a mask, then you must know how to use it and dispose of it properly.
  • When and how to wear medical masks to protect against coronavirus

How to wear a mask to protect against coronavirus

  • 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 mask); discard immediately in a closed bin; clean hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.

Advice in illustrations

 

 

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