COVID-19: Health Ministry Recommends Handmade Reusable Face Masks
COVID-19: Health Ministry Recommends Handmade Reusable Face Masks
As the number of COVID-19 cases in India rose to 2,902 on Friday, 4 April morning, the Union Health Ministry released an advisory on the use of homemade protective covers for the general public.
In their press release, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare suggested that people should use homemade face masks to up their protection levels. Interestingly, this comes days after The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US also urged people to use "cloth face coverings".
The ministry maintained that these handmade masks are not for healthcare workers or those in contact with COVID-19 patients. However, they added that it served as a good face cover and was useful in maintaining personal hygiene for the “community at large.”
They added,
They wrote on how other countries were adopting similar measures and included instructions on making the DIY masks,
In a press brief to the media on Tuesday, 31 March, FIT reported that the government and ICMR clarified that mask usage was not necessarily always helpful to the general public.
However, with the rising number of cases, the ministry amended their advisory in a bid to amp up protection levels for everyone.
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