New Recommendations Regarding the Use of Face Masks During Covid-19
The CDC has recently (8 April 2020) changed its recommendation regarding the use of face cloth coverings, especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.
Says the CDC:
We now know from recent studies that a significant portion of individuals with coronavirus lack symptoms (“asymptomatic”) and that even those who eventually develop symptoms (“pre-symptomatic”) can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms. This means that the virus can spread between people interacting in close proximity—for example, speaking, coughing, or sneezing—even if those people are not exhibiting symptoms. In light of this new evidence, CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.
It is critical to emphasize that maintaining 6-feet social distancing remains important to slowing the spread of the virus. CDC is additionally advising the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others. Cloth face coverings fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure.
These cloth face covering are not recommended as surgical masks or for use by care-givers or health care providers in a clinical setting, but rather for use by the general public in general public settings. This also does not supercede the South Africa government’s corona virus guidelines in any way. You can find all of the government guidelines here.
Here are some links to videos and tutorials for you to make your own masks:
No sew Cloth mask:
No sew T-shirt mask:
No sew tissue paper mask:
While we’re in this global pandemic #Covid19 and social distancing here’s how you can protect yourself and loved ones with this 2 minutes informative video!#socialsolidarity pic.twitter.com/7QuTcIimx0
— Ndifuna Ukwazi (@NdifunaUkwazi) March 20, 2020
