How to Wear Medical or Cloth Face Masks Safely – Don’t Make the Most Serious Mistakes

If you wear a medical mask, the ULAC doctors will advise you on how to use it properly:

What to do?

1. Wash your hands before touching the mask.
2. Check the mask for holes.
3. Find the front of the mask that has a metal piece or a rigid curve.
4. Make sure the colored side of the mask is on the outside.
5. Hold the metal part or the rigid curve to the nose and make sure it fits snugly.
6. The mask should cover the mouth, nose, and chin.
7. Make sure there are no gaps between the mask and the face.
8. Avoid touching the mask with your hands.
9. Remove the mask by grasping the rear laces.
10. Take the mask off your face and keep it away from your outfit.
11. Without waiting for anything, he throws the used mask in the trash, which closes.
12. Wash your hands after removing the mask.

What not to do?

1. Do not wear a damaged or wet mask.
2. Do not wear a mask that does not cover the nose.
3. Do not wear a mask that does not fit your face well.
4. Do not touch the front of the mask.
5. Do not remove the mask when talking to other people or doing other work.
6. Do not leave the used mask where other people can reach it.
7. Do not reuse the same mask.

If you wear a non-medical mask (cloth), your ULAC doctors will advise you on how to use it properly:

What to do?

1. Wash your hands before touching the mask.
2. Check that the mask is not damaged or dirty.
3. After putting on the mask, make sure there are no gaps between the face and the mask.
4. The mask used should cover the mouth, nose and chin.
5. Avoid touching the mask with your hands.
6. Wash your hands before removing the mask.
7. Remove the mask by grasping the rear laces.
8. Take the mask off your face.
9. Place the mask in a clean, tightly closed plastic bag.
10. Wash your hands after removing the mask.
11. When removing the used mask from the bag, hold only the laces.
12. Wash the mask at least once a day. Do this with soap or detergent, use hot water.

What not to do?

1. Do not wear a mask that appears damaged.
2. Do not wear a mask that does not fit your face well.
3. Do not wear the mask if it does not cover the nose.
4. Do not remove the mask if other people are nearby (1m away).
5. Do not wear a mask that is difficult for you to breathe.
6. Do not wear a dirty or wet mask.
7. Do not share your mask with other people.

ULAC physicians emphasize that masks should be used in conjunction with other preventive measures: thorough hand hygiene (frequent handwashing with soap and water or hand disinfection with alcoholic antiseptic), physical distance, coughing, and sneezing. The risk of infection transmission remains when the mask is improperly removed, when contaminated masks are handled incorrectly, and due to people’s increased tendency to touch their faces while wearing the mask.