The Do's And Dont's Of Wearing Face Masks

It seems like the COVID-19 virus is here to stay for a little while longer than expected, and this news is clearly one to be taken seriously! All over the world, governments are taking extensive healthcare measures to ensure that their citizens are taking adequate preventive measures. Personal protective equipment (PPE) has been deemed compulsory in many countries. The most used personal protective equipment (PPE) in this pandemic includes face mask, surgical face mask, dust protector, gloves, and respirator. Given the highly contagious nature of the virus, there is no guarantee on what works best, but some form of prevention is always better than none.  A high filtration efficiency PPE is especially important for those who are working on the frontline as medics and paramedics.
The role of a face mask is inevitable in the present scenario. A generalised categorisation of effective face masks can be split into a surgical face mask and a respirator. Multiple countries across the globe have their own standards for certifying whether the available face mask passes their required quality check; be it the FFP masks of the European Union, N95 respirator of the United States, or the KN95 respirator from China.
Now that the importance of using a good mask has been established, let us move on to the most effective ways of using your face mask. Since you will be using this Personal protective equipment (PPE) for protection against a very deadly virus, it is crucial for you to be aware of the do’s and do not’s of handling your mask properly.

The Top 5 Do’s of using your face mask

•    Do make sure you are washing or sanitizing hands responsibly

There is always the danger of transferring the virus through your hands onto the mask while putting it on, or from the mask to your nasal cavity while taking them off. Always ensure your hands are properly sanitized before and after handling your mask.

•    Do make sure you practice proper mask handling

There is a proper way to handle your face mask, irrespective of it being a dust protector, respirator, or a surgical face mask. It is important to know how to put on and take off your mask the right way to prevent the spread of any harmful particulates.

One should keep in mind to not touch the mouth cover under any circumstances. When putting on your mask, always hold it by the ear loops and secure them comfortably one after the other. Touching the mask while you have it on is incorrect as well. Only when you are in a safe location, take the face mask off the same way you wore them; by the ear loops.


•    Do make sure your mask has a snuggly fit

There is no point in you buying a high filtration efficiency mask if it doesn’t cover your mouth and nose in the best comfortable way. The idea behind having a mask on is to prevent the passage of any harmful aerosols or biological particles into your body.

It is imperative that the mask leaves minimal gap areas between itself and your face. Given the design of the masks, a surgical mask will have a loose fit while a respirator mask like the N95 or KN95 will give you a snugger fit.

•    Do make sure that your mask is well cleaned post use

In case of a surgical face mask, they must be disposed off responsibly according to the organisation rules you work in, while the washable ones must be immediately washed separately from other laundry as per the wash instructions provided. In case of a respirator mask, the standard rule allows repetitive usage till the equipment shows any visible signs of damage.  

•    Do make sure you practice strict social distancing

It is advised to continue social distancing even when you have your mask on. Masks are only one method of prevention that can be made more effective when practised alongside another strong preventive measure like social distancing. Without the other, either one offers incomplete protection.

The Do not’s of wearing a face mask

•    Do not wear a visibly damaged mask

A good mask is one that does not show any signs of visible soiling, tear or similar damage. This applies to stable ear loops as well, since you will be needing those to secure the mask properly onto your face. It is always a good idea to have more than one face mask or respirator at your disposal. Also keep in mind to never wear a wet face mask.

•    Do not compromise mask protection for drinking/eating

Another dangerous habit among mask wearers is pulling the face mask down to their chin or neck for conversation, eating and drinking. There is always the possibility of the virus droplets being present on exposed parts of your face. When you bring the mask down in contact with your neck, there are high chances of the droplets being transferred to the inside of your mask. It is best to avoid this, and take your mask off completely by the right method mentioned above (while ensuring you are in a safe location).

•    Do not pull your mask below your nose

Unfortunately, many people have been wearing their masks incorrectly. Research has proven that the coronavirus can enter your body through the eyes, nose and mouth. While you can always wear sunglasses to cover your eyes, a mask is needed to protect both your mouth and nose together.  

•    Do not depend solely on your face mask for protection

As we have mentioned earlier, a face mask is definitely the right means to protect yourself against dust, bad aerosols, problematic droplets, and biological components present in the air. But when used alone, it is not optimally effective. There is not much sense in simply having a mask on but ignoring other crucial preventive measures like restricted public exposure, and strict social distancing of at least 1 meter. This also includes involuntary habits like unnecessary touching the face mask, improper handling, and irregular hand wash or sanitization.

Prevention is always better than cure. The right thing to do now, for global citizens everywhere, is to combat this dangerous disease through adopting proper protection measures responsibly.