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You must have heard prevention is better than cure, but when it comes to COVID-19, it is not only better but the best option you got. There is a lot of information out there about how to protect yourself and your loved ones. People are urging everyone to wear face masks and gloves. There is no doubt that it is going to reduce our risk of infection significantly. But are we doing it the right way? If you are not doing it the right way, then you are as good as those who are not taking any preventive measures.

Wearing face masks and gloves as a preventive measure has become the new norm but I see a majority of people doing it the wrong way. If you are wearing and using your protective gear the wrong way then you are simply at more risk and it doesn’t even serve the purpose. So how do you use it the right way?

Here I have listed some steps on how to use your face masks and gloves in a safe way. So let us dive right in –

How to wear your mouth masks/face masks

1. Wash your hands thoroughly before wearing your mask.
2. Wear it by securing the upper tie on the crown of the head and lower one at the base of the neck.
3. If the mask has an elastic band, just secure the loops around the ears.
4. The mask should cover your entire nose and mouth and should be extended below the chin.
5. When using a respirator such as 3M facemasks, the nosepiece should be fitted with both hands. Respirators can filter out up to 95% of airborne particles when compared to surgical masks.

Precautions to take while wearing a mask

1. After wearing your mask do not touch the outer surface of the mask at any time with your bear hands
2. If you by mistake touch the outer surface of the mask then make sure you clean your hands before touching anything else.
3. You should never wear the mask under your chin.

How to remove and discard or reuse your mask

1. Remove your mask by handling the straps only, discard them, and wash your hands immediately.
2. If you use a homemade or cloth mask then make sure you wash them immediately after every use.
3. If you want to reuse your mask then it must be folded carefully in such a way that the outer surface is held inward so that it doesn’t have any contact with the outside. You can store them in sealable paper bags.
4. Never use a respirator if it is wet or dirty or does not give a proper seal. It must be discarded and replaced with a new one. You can easily get fresh ones from Healkit to buy a Click Face mask

When to use gloves-

Wearing gloves is not always necessary when you can simply avoid infection by regular washing of your hands properly. Wearing gloves when not required, will only lead to its shortage where they are essential, that is, at healthcare facilities.

So here are the situations where you should use gloves, and wear gloves will not give any added protection

Situations where you should wear gloves (for the general public)-

1. While taking care of a patient.
2. While cleaning and disinfecting home and workplaces

It is better to have a box of disposable examination gloves at your home so you can dispose of them after every single use.

Situations where gloves do not give any added benefit

1. While running errands
2. Going to the ATM
3. While going to the grocery store

Practicing good hand hygiene in these cases is enough to prevent the spread of germs effectively.

But if you are using gloves then you must know the right way to use and prevent wastage of valuable resources.

How to wear gloves correctly –

1. Wash your hands before wearing gloves
2. Wear the gloves by touching only the wrist area of the glove.
3. Once worn do not touch your face or any other surfaces that you do not want to contaminate.
4. All the surfaces that you have touched while wearing your gloves must be disinfected again.

How to remove gloves –

1. Pinch one glove at wrist level and peel it out without touching the skin
2. For the other glove put your fingers of the ungloved hand under the second glove between your palm and glove and peel out the other glove, again without touching the skin
3. Discard the gloves
4. Wash your hands

I cannot stress enough on the fact that there is still a lot that we need to explore about this virus. The nature of coronavirus infection is still very unpredictable. With so many lives at stake, it is important that we follow these simple steps for the protection of not just ourselves but for the protection of our communities as a whole. Stay safe and protected!