While COVID-19 is an active threat to our community, it’s important to know when and how to use PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) to protect yourself and those around you. Because of the nature of the virus and how it spreads, it’s essential that we each do our part to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and potentially save lives.
Why should I wear a face mask? I don’t feel sick.
Wearing a mask or appropriate face cover is intended to protect those around you.
Due to the virus’s long incubation period, it’s possible that you or someone around you could be infected and spreading the virus through respiratory droplets without showing signs or symptoms of being ill. These respiratory droplets enter the air by talking, coughing, sneezing, and even just breathing. If we as a community do our part to keep our respiratory droplets to ourselves by using an appropriate face covering or mask, those who are vulnerable will be less likely to contract the virus and experience severe complications.
When is it appropriate to wear a mask?
The CDC recommends that a face mask or cloth covering be worn at all times when in public. For example, when you are going for your weekly grocery run or to pick up other necessities, be sure to cover your face correctly during the entirety of your trip.
What type of mask is right for me?
Everyone over the age of 2 years old should wear a cloth mask or face covering when in public.
This DOES NOT include surgical masks or N-95 grade masks. Because these types of masks are in limited supply, they must be reserved for healthcare workers and medical first responders. These types of masks are a critical supply to keep individuals who are in frequent direct contact with or caring for those with COVID-19 safe and prevent them from spreading the virus from patient to patient.
The CDC’s guidelines for face coverings states that your cloth mask or face cover should:
- Include multiple layers of fabric
- Ear loops or ties to secure properly around your head
- Be machine washable and dryable without being damaged or losing it’s shape
- Fit snuggly to the sides of your face
Sewing and non-sewing patterns are available online and even provided on the CDC website. These patterns are easy to follow and require a few inexpensive materials.
How do I correctly wear a cloth mask or face cover?
- Wash your hands properly for at least 20 seconds before handling a clean cloth mask or face covering and before placing it on your face.
- Pick up your clean cloth mask or face covering by the ear loops or ties.
- Secure the cloth mask or face covering to your face and ensure that it is covering your nose and mouth.
- Adjust the mask or covering with clean hands to ensure that your chin and the bridge of your nose is covered.
- Make sure your mask or covering fits snuggly to the sides of your face and that you can breathe properly.
- Try not to adjust or take off your mask or covering unless your hands are freshly washed.
The CDC recommends that masks should not be worn by individuals under the age of 2, who have trouble breathing, or are unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove their mask.
While masks can be uncomfortable and make activities such as talking on the phone a little bit more difficult or inconvenient, it’s important to keep your face covered correctly while you are in public to protect our community and slow the spread of COVID-19.
Should I wear gloves?
In general, it is not recommended to wear latex gloves unless you can dispose of each set of gloves after each encounter with a different public space.
Latex gloves are intended for use in a medical setting. In these settings, a doctor or nurse would dispose of each pair of gloves after having contact with each patient. If you are using latex gloves in public, for example, while running errands, it’s important to properly dispose of each pair of gloves after each public space. If you were to wear the same pair of gloves at each store or public space, you would only be spreading the virus and germs from one store to another and effectively worsening the spread.
It’s much more practical, cost and resource-efficient, and effective at lowering the spread of COVID-19 to wash your hands or use hand sanitizer properly after each encounter with a different public space.
How do I properly dispose of used masks or gloves?
Disposable masks and gloves should NEVER be thrown on the ground and should be disposed of properly in a trash can.
What else can I do to protect myself and my community?
The best thing you can do to protect yourself and your community is to follow local, state and federal guidelines on social distancing and sanitary practices.
If we each do our part as a member of our community, we can slow the spread of COVID-19 and save lives.
If you have any questions or are seeking home healthcare services, please contact us.
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