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With transmission rates in my area looking a bit 
, I might do a little rant about face mask technique, sorry in advance
, I might do a little rant about face mask technique, sorry in advance
Ok, so, talking masks 
for a moment because I keep seeing mistakes and I think in they're becoming even more important right now. I am not an IPC expert, I am just someone who's read some of the literature and had training/experience in clinical settings...
for a moment because I keep seeing mistakes and I think in they're becoming even more important right now. I am not an IPC expert, I am just someone who's read some of the literature and had training/experience in clinical settings...
- First the obvious, wear it properly, nose & mouth
- A face shield alone is unlikely to do much. To the workplaces normalising this without masks, please stop it.
- If you genuinely can't wear a mask, a face shield may be better than nothing - but distancing is doubly important
- A face shield alone is unlikely to do much. To the workplaces normalising this without masks, please stop it.
- If you genuinely can't wear a mask, a face shield may be better than nothing - but distancing is doubly important
- Please don't do what Rishi Sunak was photographed doing and wear a valved mask
- Hard to criticise people feeling the need for FFP3 etc masks, but their supply is still strained so please consider the needs of HCWs. They're not even used routinely in UK healthcare, just AGPs
- Hard to criticise people feeling the need for FFP3 etc masks, but their supply is still strained so please consider the needs of HCWs. They're not even used routinely in UK healthcare, just AGPs
- This may be controversial, but as supply chain for disposable surgical masks has improved - I do think switching from cloth masks to these is reasonable for better droplet protection for all. Look for EN14683 standard, with a type rating, type doesn't matter too much eg II/IIR
- Neck gaiters had one study suggesting they may be less effective but I don't think the science is settled. Personally I'd avoid these vs a face mask, but there's no particularly strong evidence base for that view.
- When removing a mask use the loops, don't grab it by the front
- When removing a mask use the loops, don't grab it by the front
- Every time you touch your mask, you should clean your hands before and after, properly (see pic), with 70%+ alcohol gel or soap & water
- Should really change your mask every so often and if the mask is dirty, wet, damaged, or you touch it up, change it with hand hygiene steps.
- Should really change your mask every so often and if the mask is dirty, wet, damaged, or you touch it up, change it with hand hygiene steps.
- Ideally you should change to a fresh one each time you take it off, rather than storing it between uses. This is annoying, everyone I know including me is terrible at doing it properly outside of a clinical setting, but switching to disposable masks does help encourage this.
- If using a reusable mask, consider what you're storing it in eg not just your pocket. Take one off and store it for washing, then switch to a fresh mask, for best protection
- Try to resist fiddling with the mask when it's on, adjust with the loops, not by grabbing the surface
- Try to resist fiddling with the mask when it's on, adjust with the loops, not by grabbing the surface
- Surgical masks 101 (for the majority of them anyway): white side to face, blue side outward. Clean hands, put on using the loops, mould the nose bit, clean hands again. I don't know if wearing them inside out hurts much, but may as well wear them as designed - keep seeing this
- If you're wearing a surgical mask and need a different fit, especially for specs wearers, you can twist the ear loops. This does open up the gaps at the the side slightly more, so air escapes there rather than upwards into the glasses, but these are not sealed fit masks anyway
That's about all that springs to mind - golden rules imo: don't grab the surface of the mask, don't reuse the same one all the time, think about where you're putting it after use, remember hand hygiene, wear it properly, don't use a valved mask, a face shield isn't a replacement.
I do accept there's variance in the evidence for non-FFP3/N95 mask efficacy here, but the preponderance of evidence supports their use so I do too and the downsides are minimal. If you're an IPC expert and have thoughts on things you think are missing or disagree with, pls say
Oh and please, please, do not do this https://twitter.com/Microbedoc2/status/1337498461193850880
Bonus additions:
- If you want to take your mask off briefly and put it back on, avoid bunching it under your chin. Poses a risk of cross contamination, better to take it off by one loop and hold that / let it hang there - or I sometimes loop it carefully onto my wrist.
AND
- If you want to take your mask off briefly and put it back on, avoid bunching it under your chin. Poses a risk of cross contamination, better to take it off by one loop and hold that / let it hang there - or I sometimes loop it carefully onto my wrist.
AND
- Not strictly about masks, but disposable gloves only work per task, with hands cleaned either side and the gloves donned for a specific thing. Wearing the same set of gloves for a period of time, touching surfaces, your mask, your face etc with them, does more harm than good
