BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now recommending people wear cloth face coverings amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Erie County Health Commissioner Dr. Gale Burstein says the masks serve two purposes.
"This is one additional method to reduce our risk of either transmitting infection or becoming infected ourselves," she said, adding, "one person never really knows if they're truly infected or not, so if they put on a face covering, they'll protect other people around them."
According to the CDC, cloth face coverings should:
- fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
- be secured with ties or ear loops
- include multiple layers of fabric
- allow for breathing without restriction
- be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape
So where can you get your own?
Dr. Thomas Russo is the chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo. He told 2 on Your Side, "One of the issues we have right now, and one of the reasons that it wasn't initially recommended that everyone wear masks, is there is still a mass shortage, so buying a mask online is fraught with danger.
"There's still some scams, and I think that's gonna be very challenging. So if you're not so lucky to already have a mask, I suspect your best bet right now is to fabricate your own out of cloth."
The CDC tweeted out an instructional video on how to make your own mask out of things you already have around the house, such as a scarf, towel or T-shirt.
Additionally, according to the CDC, you should wear a mask when you're in public places that are difficult to maintain social distancing, such as grocery stores and pharmacies.
Dr. Russo said, "I think it's really prudent to wear a mask anytime that you think you're gonna interact with other individuals."
However, wearing the mask alone is not enough to slow the spread of the coronavirus or protect yourself from getting infected.
"It's a form of harm reduction. It's not full protection," Dr. Burstein said. "It's layering on top of everything else we're doing to protect ourselves, like washing our hands and keeping our distance, hopefully at least six feet away from other people."
The CDC also provides the following advice for those wearing a face covering or face mask:
- Do not put face masks or coverings on children under 2 years old and people who cannot remove the face mask themselves (such as people who are unconscious/incapacitated).
- Don't wear a mask if you are having trouble breathing. Your breathing shouldn't be restricted by the mask.
- Wash your face mask regularly in a washing machine. You should be able to wash your mask and machine dry it without damaging or changing its shape.
- Masks should be snug-fitting to the sides of your face, be secured using ties or ear loops, and include multiple layers of fabric.
- Cloth masks are meant for use by the general public, and supplies such as surgical masks and N-95 respirators should be reserved for health care workers and first responders.
For more information about the coronavirus pandemic, face coverings, how to protect yourself and cleaning your home, you can click here.