Disposable masks are preferred. If you have a supply of disposable masks, use them and discard after use. However, since they are in short supply, use these tips if you have a reusable mask:
- Know which side in the ‘inside’ (toward your face) and which is the ‘outside’ (toward others).
- Use the elastic bands or ties to tightly secure the mask to your face before entering a public area. The mask should cover your mouth and nose entirely.
- Remove the mask as soon as you have left the area of concern (public areas, doctor’s office, etc.) by using the elastic or ties. Try not to touch the mask itself.
- Touch your face or head as little as possible while removing.
- Use a plastic bag (grocery or trash bag) to contain the mask until it can be laundered.
- Immediately clean your hands (soap and water is preferable, hand sanitizer if washing is not feasible).
- Dump the mask directly from the bag to the washing machine (or sink if hand-laundering) to wash.
- Dispose of the bag in the trash. We normally recycle bags, but these will be disposed of to reduce the risk of contamination to recycling processors.
If you are entering and leaving multiple public environments in one trip, try to use a different mask each time. If you do not have enough masks to do this, untie the top of the mask so it hangs down with the ‘outside’ touching your skin. Be careful not to touch or allow anything else to touch the ‘inside’ of the mask.
For an extra layer of protection, fold two facial tissues together and insert into the mask pocket or place between the mask and your face. This provides and extra layer of filtration. It is not equal to the filtration of a commercially produced respirator mask, but every little bit helps. Discard the tissues prior to laundering the mask and wash your hands immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: Will using a surgical mask-style mask protect like a commercial N95 mask?
A: No. Even the best made commercial masks have gaps around the edges. However, they do offer some protection, so they are better than going without.
Q: How often should I wash the reusable mask?
A: After each use. If you are using the mask, you are assuming that you are entering a potentially contaminated environment, so you should assume the mask is contaminated with each use.
Q: Viruses are so small, can’t they just slip between the fibers in the mask?
A: Yes and no. Individual viruses are small enough to slip between the fibers of the mask. Multiple layers of material will, therefore, provide more protection. More importantly, viruses are generally carried on droplets from coughing or sneezing. These droplets are large enough to be caught by the mask. That is why you want to remove the mask as soon as you reasonably can – before the carrier droplets dry out and release the viruses they are transporting.