Why Wear a Mask?
COVID-19 virus spreads easily from person to person contact. virus carrying droplets dry fast enough to form droplet nuclei and remain airborne eventually landing on different surfaces.
SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has been detected in aerosols for up to three hours and on plastic and stainless steel surfaces for up to three days.(N.Engl J.Med. 2020)
Masks lower the chances of coronavirus entering the respiratory
System through droplets still in the sir froman infected person.
Reducing the chances of inhaling the virus by wearing a protective mask that is cleaned thoroughly using a combination of approaches that use heat, UV light, water, soap and alcohol, will be vital to stopping its spread.
Key Differences between Disposable and Homemade Cotton Masks
| PROPERTIES | DISPOSABLE (Surgical) MASK | HOMEMADE (Cotton) MASK |
| Use | Single use | Multiple use |
|
Effectiveness against Virus Particles |
~97% | ~70% |
|
Washing and cleaning |
Should NEVER be washed as it damages filtration and protection ability |
Can be reused easily following procedures shown further in this document |
|
Availability |
Medical store stocks of such masks are likely to be depleted |
Can be easily made at home with available cotton materials |
|
Disposal |
Must be disposed after one use in a closed bag with household waste to prevent virus from travel |
Can be easily cleaned after use with ingredients available at home |
IMPORTANT PRECAUTIONS:
Before using the handmade mask remember:
- Thoroughly wash and clean the mask before wearing it.
- wash your hands thoroughly before wearing the mask.
- As soon as the mask becomes damp or humid, swithch to another mask and clean the used mask.
- Never reuse a mask after single ue without cleaning it.
When removing the mask:
- Do not touch the front or any other surface of the mask, remove it only with strings behind
- For string mask, always unit the string below and then the string above
- After removal, immediately clean your hands with 70% alcohol-based hand sanitizer or with soap and water for 40 seconds
- Drop it directly into a soap solution or boiling water to which salt has been added