How and when to wear a surgical mask during the Wuhan virus outbreak

The Government of Singapore has released a mask-wearing guide in light of the global Wuhan coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak.

The key points as to 'when' to wear a surgical mask are:

• Wear a surgical mask only if you feel unwell and have respiratory symptoms like a cough or a runny nose. If you are unwell, you should wash your hands regularly and wear a mask so that you don’t infect others.
• Generally, people who are well do not need to wear a mask.
• There is no need to hoard masks – doing so will deprive others who really need them.

The advisory has listed five essential steps on how to wear a mask the right way, noting that surgical masks should be used instead of N95 masks:

• It should cover your mouth, nose and chin, with the coloured side facing outwards.
• Pinch the metal edge of the mask so that it presses gently on your nose bridge.
• Remove a used mask holding only the ear loops.
• To be effective, change your masks regularly or if soiled or wet.
• Wash your hands with soap and water after disposing the soiled mask properly into a bin.

These steps are listed in the infographic below. You can also download the Chinese, Malay and Tamil versions of the infographic for your office.

 

Note: This article does not constitute medical advice.

All graphics / Government of Singapore