Slow the Spread of COVID: Face covering 101

Cloth face coverings are an additional step to help slow the spread of COVID-19 when combined with every day preventive actions and social distancing in public settings. With the Holiday weekend coming up we know that it may get difficult to properly social distance but we urge you not to forget about the health safety basics recommended by the CDC.

Cloth face coverings are recommended as a simple barrier to help prevent respiratory droplets from traveling into the air and onto other people when the person wearing the cloth face covering coughs, sneezes, talks, or raises their voice. This is called source control.

This recommendation is based on what we know about the role respiratory droplets play in the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19, paired with emerging evidence from clinical and laboratory studies that shows cloth face coverings reduce the spray of droplets when worn over the nose and mouth.

COVID-19 spreads mainly among people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet), so the use of cloth face coverings is particularly important in settings where people are close to each other or where social distancing is difficult to maintain.

Wear your Face Covering Correctly

• Wash your hands before putting on your face covering

• Put it over your nose and mouth and secure it under your chin

• Try to fit it snugly against the sides of your face

• Make sure you can breathe easily

Use the Face Covering to Protect Others

• Wear a face covering to help protect others in case you’re infected but don’t have symptoms

• Wear the covering in public settings when around people outside of your household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain

• Don’t put the covering around your neck or up on your forehead

• Don’t touch the face covering, and, if you do, wash your hands

Follow Everyday Health Habits

• Stay at least 6 feet away from others

• Avoid contact with people who are sick

• Wash your hands often, with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds each time

• Use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available

Take Off Your Cloth Face Covering Carefully, When You’re Home

• Untie the strings behind your head or stretch the ear loops

• Handle only by the ear loops or ties

• Fold outside corners together

• Place covering in the washing machine (learn more about how to wash cloth face coverings)

• Be careful not to touch your eyes, nose, and mouth when removing and wash hands immediately after removing.

We understand that masks may sometimes be uncomfortable but we all need to do our part and try to help slowing the spread of the virus. The more we apply these basic health precautions, the faster we may be able to resume to a "normal" life.

Source: cdc.gov