How to Properly Wear a Face Mask

Kentucky’s general mask mandate ended June 11, 2021, along with the state’s remaining COVID-19 health restrictions. Masking is encouraged for Kentuckians when they are with people face mask from outside their household and required for adults in some health care, day care and early education settings. Gov. Kim Reynolds lifted the state’s mask order in February 2021.

A medical mask also filters out large particles in the air when the wearer breathes in. If your child has a hard time breathing, gets dizzy, or has other symptoms while you are trying to get the mask to fit better or when using an ASTM F3502 mask or a respirator, choose a cloth or disposable mask. They should continue to protect themselves and others. Consult your healthcare provider if these symptoms do not resolve.

“Face mask” means a tightly woven cloth or other multi-layer absorbent material that closely covers an individual’s mouth and nose. Businesses, organizations, and event organizers are able to require employees, visitors, and customers wear face masks upon entering their facility or venue as a best practice. Masks are recommended following exposure, for high-risk individuals, and for everyone when the community risk level is high. All individuals over age 2 should wear a face covering in indoor public spaces. Find masks with different types of ties and ear loops and wear a different type each day. For more tips on selecting a face mask to prevent the spread of COVID-19, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at CDC.gov/coronavirus.

Health care settings – including long-term care – may have mask requirements under federal, state, and/or local law. If you live or frequently interact with someone who is immunocompromised or at a high risk for severe disease from COVID-19, consider wearing a mask around them regardless of the COVID-19 community level. While you should always cleanse skin before applying a mask, you do not need to use a cleanser after masking. For many types of masks, including clay masks, rinse your face thoroughly to remove the formula after it dries.

Requiring attendees who do not provide proof of vaccination to enter indoor Mega Events to continue masking during the event, especially when not actively eating or drinking. Finally, CDPH is maintaining the requirement that businesses and venue operators, including K-12 school and childcare settings, must allow any individual to wear a mask if they desire to. That individuals in these settings continue to mask while on public transit and indoors in transit hubs to continue protecting our most vulnerable and those communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Such settings are often crowded with limited and inadequate ventilation. Individuals are recommended to wear a face covering while in indoor public spaces when social distancing from people of other households is not possible. … Opt for surgical masks or cloth masks with at least three layers.

Masks are recommended for individuals per CDC guidance, and remain required in specified settings (transportation, healthcare, etc.). Individuals are recommended to wear a mask following CDC masking guidance. High-quality, well-fitting , and comfortable face masks or respirators should be made available to all children and families who remain vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Masks do a better job of protecting you when everyone around you in a room is wearing them. Even though it’s not ideal to be the only person who’s masked up indoors in a public place, it still offers more protection than going maskless. You can boost the protection you get by fitting a cloth mask over a surgical one.

Local health jurisdictions, some school districts, and individual businesses may still choose to require masks. If you are in a setting where COVID-19 safety measures are in place, please follow them. The goal of these safety measures is to protect staff, employees, students, yourself, and others. DOH guidance documents provide additional information on where masks are still required.

In one lab study, researchers tested different types of masks on a mannequin they exposed to the virus. And a cotton mask, although far less protective, was better than no mask at all, the researchers found. KN95 masks are supposed to be made to international standards, but their quality varies greatly because there’s no reputable certification system for them. Disregard any claims of NIOSH certification for KN95s because neither the CDC nor NIOSH certifies KN95 respirator masks. Well-fitting NIOSH-approved masks give you the most protection. Face masks won’t totally block the coronavirus, but some, like the N95, come very close.

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Boise, Idaho’s capital and largest city, dropped its mask mandate in May 2021, as did several other jurisdictions. An indoor mask mandate has been renewed in Athens and Clarke County through July 6, but by local ordinance it is only enforced if the community COVID-19 level is rated high by the CDC, which is currently not the case. ASTM masks, also known as procedure or surgical masks are disposable masks that Medical masks create a physical barrier between the mouth and nose of the wearer and potential contaminants in the immediate environment. Medical masks are manufactured to meet the American Society of Testing and Materials standards and come in three grades. The most important element of masking is that the mask is tight fitting, and worn properly around the mouth and nose to limit the potential spread of aerosols.