The use of a homemade mask can offer a barrier against contamination by droplets and reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus, as long as they are associated with other preventive measures, such as social distancing, respiratory etiquette, and hand hygiene.
Dr. Luciene Sambrana Primo, an infectious disease specialist at Hospital Adventista do Pênfigo in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, explains the essential care that must be taken during the use, removal, and disposal of the mask.
1. Put on the mask. Do not share masks with another person. Put the mask on by holding the side elastics, make sure it is covering the nose, mouth, and chin during use.
2. Most suitable fabric. Homemade masks can be made of non-elastic fabric (tricoline or fine t-shirt fabric) with a minimum of 65-percent cotton.
3. Don't touch. Avoid touching the mask during use, except on the sides of the face and with clean hands. If you accidentally touch the front, wash your hands immediately.
4. Protection time. Use the mask for up to two hours. After that time, change to prevent contamination. However, if the mask becomes moist before two hours, you must change it too.
5. How to take off. Wash your hands with soap and water, drying them well, before removing the mask. Remove the mask by grabbing the elastic bands, or the loop or knot on the back. NEVER touch the front of the mask.
6. Reuse. Homemade masks can be reused but must be disinfected after each use.
7. Wash. Wash separately from other clothes. Soak for 20 to 30 minutes in a solution of drinking water with bleach or another disinfectant. Then wash with soap and running water. Allow to dry completely and iron.
8. Save. If you cannot wash it, put it in a tightly closed plastic bag for later washing.
9. Correct disposal. Discard the cloth mask when observing loss of elasticity of the fixation rods or deformity in the fabric. If you need to dispose of it, put it in a sealed plastic bag and throw it in the trash.
10. Type of mask. Health professionals around the world suffer from a lack of Personal Protective Equipment due to shortages. Therefore, surgical masks, N95, and PFF2 should be reserved for them.
Text originally published in Revista Vida e Saúd and from August 2020, with the title Mask: correct use.
This article was originally published on the South American Division’s Portuguese news site