Ever since the dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic, new normal practices of social distancing, hand hygiene, masking up are undoubtedly the most effective preventive measures to halt the spread of coronavirus infection. While sanitizing stations are set up in almost all outdoor locations nowadays, the one mandatory accessory without which you cannot leave the house is a face mask. And if you thought that simply wrapping on a covering around your face in any way was enough before stepping out for work or to visit public places, common areas within a community, think again.
A face mask is by definition a protective screen that conceals the nose and mouth, thus stopping the dispersal of SARS-CoV-2 viral air droplets into the body and ceasing the subsequent transmission of COVID-19 infection. It is therefore an efficient shield only when worn in the correct manner, irrespective of whether you are sporting a cloth cover, disposable mask or N95, KN95 respirator. The right way to wear a face mask is to wash and dry hands thoroughly first, don on the new/clean mask so it encompasses the portion from the bridge of the nose down to the chin and ensure that it fits snugly around the ears without leaving any openings.
Needless to mention, a face mask does not help prevent the spread of coronavirus infection unless worn properly. However, not all people follow these guidelines while masking up in public, with many even performing some huge errors leading to even more disease transmission. It is thus the responsibility of every individual to henceforth wear a face mask appropriately, besides using hand sanitizers and maintaining social distancing, to put an end to COVID-19. So, no matter where you are going or what the occasion is, keep in mind to wear a face mask the right way and not make any of these masking mistakes, depicted in the infographic below.
