Guidance about whether people who are not sick should wear masks is not always clear, and different guidelines do not always align or agree completely. Evidence in this area is limited and inconclusive. In the absence of good quality, conclusive evidence, the potential benefits of widespread mask-wearing must be weighed against the potential harms.
The evidence suggests that wearing a mask reduces the amount of droplets scattered from the nose and mouth, and acts as a ‘source control’ to protect the environment/others from the wearer. There is general agreement from the WHO, US CDC and other organisations that people with respiratory symptoms (including coughing and sneezing) should wear face coverings in combination with other measures (e.g. self-isolation, hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette etc) to help prevent spread of COVID-19.
It is unclear whether the use of masks or face coverings is linked to lower COVID-19 rates seen in some countries (e.g. China, Singapore, South Korea and Japan) because mask use is only one of many response measures that have been applied in these countries. Additionally, important factors influencing mask use such as following instructions regarding use, cultural/social norms, respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene practices may be different and not generalisable to other countries.
Medical masks are not recommended for use by the public, as this may result in fewer being available for healthcare workers. As such, where masks are to be used by the public, these should be non-medical face masks or other face covers made from materials such as cotton and silk. It is unclear whether this guidance differs for people with and without symptoms. However, the use of non-medical masks/homemade face coverings has been very poorly evaluated and there are no established standards for non-medical masks. To avoid confusion, the term ‘face covering’ is used in some guidance for non-medical masks
Face coverings alone are not sufficient to prevent spread of COVID-19. They are NOT a replacement for other recommended measures e.g. hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette, social distancing etc, and must be supported by adequate training on how to safely use face coverings (including how to put them on and take them off safely) before wearing them.
Face coverings may not be appropriate for some people(e.g. children under 13, people who have breathing difficulties or are unable to remove the covering without assistance).
Research in this area is rapidly evolving, and it is expected that recommendations will continue to evolve accordingly.
Things to Remember
Opinions alone are not a reliable basis for claims about the effects of treatments.
Personal experiences or anecdotes alone are an unreliable basis for most claims about the effects of treatments.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsAcceptRead More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.