Do You Know How to Wear Facemask Properly to Protect Against COVID-19?

The whole world is affected due to cold, flu, COVID-19 and many other viruses and hence it has become necessary to wear surgical mask in order to protect ourselves.

Also, it is important, while wearing such Respiratory Masks in Bulk, and also while taking them off, you need to follow various infection prevention precautions.

You can find in the market many different kinds of face masks ever since the corona epidemic has started spreading everywhere:

• Medical/surgical masks meant for common public usage
• N95 respirator masks, which are meant for all health care professionals

In case, you have to wear these masks then you also need to follow these instructions while putting them on or taking off.

How to wear the mask?

1. First, wash your hands by using any soap and water and continue to wash for minimum 20 seconds. Thereafter dry your hands by using clean paper towel. After that dispose of the paper towel.
2. You must check your mask before wearing it for any kind of defects like tear or any missing tie/ear loop. Don’t use if you find any defective piece.
3. You must ensure that its exterior (yellow or blue) portion of the mask must be facing out, which is away from the face.
4. Try to place this mask on the face by keeping the blue side of your mask facing out and stiff, bendable edge placed at top of your nose.
5. In case, the mask contains any ear loops, then put each loop around your two ears.
6. In case the mask has got ties, then pick up mask with the ties and then tie upper ties by putting it behind your head by using its bow.
7. After placing your mask on the face properly by using your thumb and index finger try to pinch its bendable top edge around your nose bridge.
8. If your mask has any lower tie, then after the mask is properly fitted to your nose bridge, tie its lower ties behind the head with bow.
9. You must make sure that the mask is fully secure.
10. Also, make sure that it should cover your mouth and nose so that its bottom edge remains under your chin.
11. After that, wash your hands properly.

How to remove the mask

1. Before you remove the mask, you must wash your hands.
2. Avoid touching the inside of your mask which was covering your nose and your mouth, as possibly it is contaminated due to your breathing, sneezing or coughing.
3. Untie or remove your ear loops and then remove your mask with the straps.
4. Dispose of the mask by throwing in the trash.
5. Again, wash your hands.

You must note that in case you are using any reusable cloth mask, then after the whole day, take your mask off from straps without touching from the front and place it in your pillowcase for keeping the ties with mask.

Try to wash it in your washing machine by using hot water and then completely dry it under medium/high heat. ​