Wondering if wearing a face mask is right for you? Need a pattern?
Wearing a face covering or homemade face mask in public doesn’t necessarily protect you but it may decrease your chance of making others sick. It’s still best for you to stay at home as much as possible, wash your hands often, don’t touch your face and to stay at least 2 meters away from other people when you are out in public.
You could wear a face cover or DIY cloth mask when you need to be in places with other people such as the grocery store or the post office. The evidence is showing that coronavirus is mostly spread when germ-containing droplets leave a person’s mouth and nose (when they cough, sneeze, talk, laugh, sing or yawn), so a fabric cover may make it less likely for the droplets to spread to other people or land on surfaces.
Physical distancing is the best way to prevent getting sick or from passing the virus on to other people. Covering your face does not replace the need to physical distancing. It’s only another tool to add to what you’re already doing.
Please note: Do not put face masks on infants or young children!
Here are a few good, easy patterns for homemade face masks: