As from today, Friday 24th July 2020 in England it is now mandatory to wear a face covering when out in public, attending events, using public transport and shopping.
Along with this rule, we must still continue to wash our hands and keep a social distance from one another, but by having a face covering it offers further protection when in situations where it isn’t always possible to keep a safe distance from other people.
In order for the face coverings to be effective we must ensure that we wear them properly and take them off safely, so how is this done…
According to the health and safety executive when worn a face covering should:
- Cover your nose and mouth, allowing to you still breathe comfortably
- Fit comfortably against the side of your face
- Be secured to the head with ties or ear loops
- Be made of a material you find comfortable and breathable, such as cotton
- Ideally include two layers of fabric (in some cases three depending on quality of fabric)
- Unless disposable, must be machine washable
And to take them off safely you should:
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for 20 seconds or if no access to a sink use hand sanitiser
- Only handle the straps, ties of clips
- Do not allow anyone else to assist you / touch the covering
- If single use you must dispose of it carefully in a waste bin and do not recycle
- If reusable, you must wash it straight away after each use on the highest temperature appropriate for the fabric
- Once it’s removed, wash your hands again thoroughly with soap and water for 20 seconds, or again use hand sanitiser
