How to wear and make your own mask ?

How to wear a mask

The mask should:

• Cover your nose and mouth while allowing you to breathe comfortably

• Comfortable but firmly attached to the side of the face

• Fixed on the head with a tie or earrings

• Made of materials that you think are comfortable and breathable, such as cotton

• Ideally, it should include at least 2 layers of fabric (WHO recommends 3 layers, depending on the fabric used)

• Unless it is disposable, it should be able to be washed and dried with other clothes according to the fabric washing instructions without causing damage to the mask

When wearing a mask, you should:

• Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water for 20 seconds, or use hand sanitizer before covering the face

• Avoid wearing it on the neck or forehead

• Avoid touching the parts of the face covering that come in contact with your mouth and nose, as it may be contaminated by the virus

• If it gets wet or has been touched, replace the mask

• Avoid taking it off and quickly put it back in many places (for example, when leaving on the street and entering a store)

When removing the mask:

• Before removing, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer

• Only handle belts, ties or clips

• Don't give it to others to use

• If it is disposable, please carefully discard it in the remaining trash and do not recycle

• If reusable, please follow the manufacturer's instructions to wash at the highest temperature suitable for the fabric

• Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water for 20 seconds, or remove hand sanitizer

Make your own mask

If you want to make your own mask, instructions are widely available online. We do not approve any specific methods, but consider materials and fabrics that may irritate different skin types.

There is increasing evidence that using thicker fabrics or multiple layers of fabric can reduce the risk of transmission. However, the mask should still be breathable.

Children should cover their masks under the guidance of adults, while children’s masks should only be fixed on the head with earrings.

If you want to learn more about how to make a mask from materials around your home, please visit the Big Community Sew website. Here you will find step-by-step video tutorials on how to make a mask and other useful tips and suggestions.

You can always buy your mask if you don’t want to make it, so if this is the case take a look at this certified mask.

Maintain and dispose of the mask

Do not touch the front of the mask or the part of the mask that contacts your mouth and nose.

After removing, store the reusable masks in a plastic bag until you have a chance to wash them. If the mask is disposable, please discard it in the remaining trash. Do not put them in the recycling bin.

Make sure to use ordinary household cleaning products to clean all surfaces that the mask touches. For example, if you are dining in a cafe, it is important not to put face coverings on the table.

Wash your face regularly and follow the washing instructions for the fabric. You can use ordinary detergent. You can wash and dry it together with other clothes. If the mask is damaged, it must be thrown away.

The government also issued guidelines on the safe disposal of waste by the public and businesses.