What mistakes should I avoid when wearing a face mask?

To help stop the spread of COVID-19, you need to put on your mask the right way and avoid making these simple yet consequential mistakes: MISTAKE 1: Your face mask only covers your mouth. If you are wearing your mask low so it only covers your mouth, you’re doing it wrong, and you risk becoming ill or making someone else ill.

Why should you wear a face mask?

That’s because wearing one helps you protect yourself and others by limiting the spread of droplet diseases like COVID-19. This is particularly important now that we know that it can be spread by pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic carriers. But if you use a face mask incorrectly (and most people do), it’s rendered almost useless.

Should you wear a face mask if you’re unvaccinated?

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends fabric masks for the general public. People who haven’t been fully vaccinated should continue to wear face masks in indoor public places and outdoors where there is a high risk of COVID-19 transmission, such as crowded events or large gatherings.

Should you touch the front of a mask when taking it off?

For that reason, you should never touch the front of the mask itself when taking it off. “Don’t grab the mask with a full palm-and-fingers grip across the face,” cautions Cara Natterson, MD, founder of Worry Proof Consulting and author of Decoding Boys.

Why is my mask hanging loose on my face?

MISTAKE 3: Your mask hangs too loosely on your face. When worn properly, N95 respirators that doctors use are closely fitted to the face. But if you are using a surgical mask or a homemade cloth mask, you may be letting the sides gap loosely. You don’t want the mask to billow out this way.

Is it safe to wear a mask around your neck?

“It’s better for the mask not to be around your neck if you’ve already been wearing it, because then if there was any type of contamination, you don’t want [to be] wearing that around your neck,” said Erin Sorrell, an assistant research professor in Georgetown University’s department of microbiology and immunology.

Do face masks bring good luck?

However, these days, when I go out for a walk or to run errands, at least half the people I see are not wearing masks — or are wearing their masks around their necks, as though those pieces of cloth or paper are good-luck totems rather than items with a specific purpose. Admittedly, face masks are not convenient or particularly pleasant to wear.

How do you properly put on and take off a mask?

To properly put on and take off a mask, you also need to be careful not to touch the front of the mask when removing it, the CDC warns. Instead of touching the mask itself, remove the mask by holding the ear loops or ties. Once it’s off, you can put the face mask in a ziplock bag or separate containment area, Sorrell said.

Can I Touch the outer layer of the mask?

Do not touch the outer layer of the mask. Simply hold the ear string and pull it off. Wash hands immediately after taking off the mask. Do not take off the mask when it is not possible to wash hands. It has been found that many people who wear masks pull them down when they begin to sneeze or cough.

What happens if you wear a mask and not wash hands?

If you forget to wash your hands, and touch your nose or rub your eyes, the virus will enter your body. The mask, originally used to block the virus and bacteria, has become a source of the disease. Do not touch the outer layer of the mask. Simply hold the ear string and pull it off. Wash hands immediately after taking off the mask.