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From Thursday morning you should not encounter a person in public places who is not wearing a face mask. The faces of many are adorned with homemade masks, because getting the medical ones is like searching for the mythical Atlantis. But how should you use them correctly so that they protect you as much as possible?
A white one made from an old T‑shirt or perhaps with polka dots or cute pictures? Regardless of how your homemade mask looks, it is IMPORTANT to care for it so that it serves you to the fullest. Sewing it is therefore only the beginning.
Cloth masks, unlike respirators with nanofilters, cannot filter out all viral particles.
So if viral particles are present in the air, they only block some of them. However, they are very effective at preventing particles from getting into the air from an infected person. Simply put — masks protect others by stopping particles from entering the air. They also partly protect you yourself.
How to use masks
For them to work this way, you need to use them correctly and take care of them. Whether you have a homemade one (have you heard about the #DámeRoušky initiative?), or a medical one (this also applies to respirators), make sure it fits snugly to your face. Any loosening of it means you are spreading droplets into the air.
Always put it on with washed hands. For the time that you have the mask on your face, avoid any touching. IF this happens, use antibacterial hand gel.
How to wash and disinfect it?
Masks last on the mouth for roughly two to four hours before moisture soaks through. It can, however, be a shorter time. It depends on how much you talk. When you carefully take the mask off (do not touch its outer surface, infected droplets may have adhered to it), remember to wash your hands again or use disinfectant. IF you have a disposable mask, do not put it anywhere and dispose of it immediately. A person who is infected with the coronavirus (what are the symptoms of coronavirus?) and wears a mask at home to avoid infecting others must, after taking it off, put it in a plastic container or a plastic bag and store it carefully. The mask is then disposed of as hazardous waste.
If you have a cloth one, you need to sterilize it. If you have older children, you might remember boiling nappies. To be sure you’ve removed any possible viruses from the mask, let it boil in water and then cool down naturally. You can also wash it, but at least at 60 °C. Then iron the masks.
For the viruses that caused SARS, it was necessary to leave them in 60 °C water for 30 minutes; in the case of COVID-19, there are no such studies yet.
