MASERU - The World Health Organisation (WHO) has marked August 7 - 14 as the International ‘Wear your mask Week’, because face coverings are some of the best tools against the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly where social distancing is not practical.
health
Aug. 20, 2020
LINEO MABEKEBEKE
2 min read
There is still a challenge in wearing masks - WHO
Wearing a face mask helps prevent the spread of COVID-19 and it is recommended as a simple barrier to prevent respiratory droplets from moving from one person to another, according to the WHO guidelines. WHO’s Dr. Hana Bekel said face masks are important now in people’s lives and are still going to be important in the coming years because the Coronavirus is going to live with us for quite some time.
She said the measures that people have shown in respect of wearing face masks and the general use of masks should continue, adding that one thing that people should remember is that; wearing masks is not the only measure that people should be taking. Bekel said people should not forget other public health and hygiene measures if they want to reduce the transmission of the pandemic.
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She said once people wear masks, they forget to distance themselves from others, and that slows down the washing of hands. WHO, she said wants to inform people that wearing masks alone is not enough.
The organisation she also showed wants to emphasise that face masks should be used as part of a comprehensive strategy of measures to suppress the transmission because the world needs to flatten the transmission curve. The COVID-19 response plan, she said, has nothing but the priority to save lives of people.
“The use of face masks alone is not sufficient to provide adequate protection from the disease,” emphasised Dr. Bekele, adding that WHO advises decision-makers to understand the purpose of face masks use and to remember that the use of masks is to prevent the spread of the infection.
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