Cloth Face Coverings

The CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies).

You can visit the CDC.gov website to learn more about the reasons cloth face masks are recommended and to learn how to make your own at home.

Some important points to remember:

• Cloth face masks are recommended, but surgical masks or N-95 respirators are NOT recommended for the general public.  These are considered critical supplies and need to be reserved for healthcare workers and other professionals. 
• Wearing a cloth face mask does NOT protect YOU from contracting COVID-19!
• Research shows that many people have contracted the coronavirus but didn't show any symptoms, this means that it's possible for you to spread the virus without even knowing!  The purpose of using a cloth face mask is to help protect OTHERS from possibly contracting the virus from you.

• Because cloth face masks are not 100% effective at decreasing the spread of germs between people it's still VERY important to practice social distancing, as well.
• You may be thinking, if cloth masks aren't protecting me, then maybe I should be wearing a surgical mask??
• Surgical masks are used for a couple of reasons.  First, medical professionals use them to protect their patients from their own germs.  Second, surgical masks are fluid resistant, so they protect the wearer from splashes or sprays of bodily fluids (like what could occur during surgical or other medical procedures).  They may provide the wearer some very limited protection from airborne viruses.
• Most importantly, stay home if you can.  If you must leave the house, wear a cloth face mask, practice social distancing and wash your hands often.  Try not to touch your cloth face mask, as this quickly contaminates it with germs.