What is the latest advice on Facemasks and Face coverings?

The World Health Organisation (WHO) originally said that healthy people only needed to wear a mask if they were taking care of a person with COVID-19.  But it has now updated its advice on face masks, saying that governments should encourage the general public to wear masks in situations where social distancing isn’t possible.

Evidence suggests that wearing a face-covering does not protect you. However, if you are infected but have not yet developed symptoms, it may provide some protection for others you come into close contact with. Face coverings do not replace social distancing and hand washing, which remain the key ways to prevent the virus from spreading. If you have symptoms of COVID-19 (cough, and/or high temperature, and/or loss of, or change in, your normal sense of smell or taste – anosmia), you and your household must isolate at home: wearing a face covering does not change this.

A face covering is not the same as the surgical masks or respirators used by healthcare and other workers as part of personal protective equipment. These should continue to be reserved for those who need them to protect against risks in their workplace, such as health and care workers, and those in industrial settings, like those exposed to dust hazards.

Public Health England has said previously “Face masks must be worn correctly, changed frequently, removed properly, disposed of safely and used in combination with good universal hygiene behaviour in order for them to be effective”.

Uptake in the UK is still low compared with other countries. The latest polling from YouGov suggests that 38% of Brits are wearing a face mask when out in public, compared with 88% in Spain, 83% in China, 83% in Italy and 73% in the US.

There are some exemptions to who should wear a face covering, including young children and people with breathing difficulties. In situations where face coverings are mandatory, legitimate reasons not to wear one include:

• Children under 11 and people with certain disabilities will be exempt.
• If you are travelling with or providing assistance to someone who relies on lip-reading to communicate
• If you need to remove the face covering to eat, drink, or take medication
• If a police officer or other official asks you to remove the mask
• If you need to remove a mask or not wear one in an emergency situation to avoid harm or injury

Wearing masks in public is most beneficial in situations where you can’t properly keep your distance from other people but won’t have any protective effect while walking through deserted streets or in the countryside.

A cloth face covering should cover your mouth and nose while allowing you to breathe comfortably. It can be as simple as a scarf or bandana that ties behind the head. Experts recommend using 100% cotton fabrics or a cotton blend. To make your own Face Covering follow the link. It won’t protect you from getting Covid-19, but it might help prevent you from spreading the virus.

Cloth masks have large pores and allow moist air circulation – which means cloth masks are less likely to stop virus-contaminated droplets from getting through.

Face coverings help by catching the small droplets we sometimes spread when we talk or cough.

These can contain coronavirus bacteria and land on surfaces and other people. This can be an issue if someone has the virus, but no symptoms. By wearing a face covering you protect those around you and they protect you by wearing theirs.

To make sure your mask cover is sterile, you need to clean it properly. You also need to be careful how you put it on and take it off.

• Do not buy and hoard medical masks. Health care professionals are already facing a great shortage in supplies, and we should not use protective masks that ill patients and health care workers may need.
• Do not put a face mask on kids under 2 years old—or anyone who has difficulty breathing or might be unable to remove the mask themselves.
• Do not remove a mask by its mouth area. Grab it by the straps. Wash your hands after touching it.
• Do not just wear a standard bandana or scarf. Follow the instructions below to create a mask that has multiple layers and more tightly covers your face.

Social distancing and frequent hand washing remain the best ways to prevent viruses spreading between you and other people.

But experts have always maintained that, while the masks and face coverings may not shield someone from contracting the illness, they stop the wearer from infecting others.

This may have been more important than initially thought now that researchers know infected people are contagious for several days before they have symptoms.

The virus can be transmitted via droplets that are released when an infected person talks, breathes, coughs or sneezes.

If you choose to wear a mask, do not wear it for many hours – four or five hours at most each day. And only wear it when you are in contact with other people, and change it if it becomes damaged or dirty.

Masks/face coverings can become contaminated from use, not only by COVID-19 but by other bacteria and viruses, so they should be disposed of carefully, making sure to wash your hands afterwards. It’s also important to never share your mask with someone else for this reason.

Advice is changing daily on best practice for individuals to protect themselves from COVID-19, we recommend always referring to the latest Government Advice.