The CDC recommends wearing face coverings to slow the spread of coronavirus. The outbreak of coronavirus has sent the public and health care workers scrambling for face masks. Due to a shortage, they are now being reused — even though it’s not as effective.
There are two common types of disposable masks. Surgical masks stop a person from spreading their own germs. And surgeons use them to keep their germs off patients. They can also be used by sick patients to minimize the spread of disease from tiny particles that are coughed out.
N95 respirators, filter out 95% of the particles in the air in order to minimize the wearer’s exposure to infectious disease. They’re worn by health care workers who are caring for the sick and don’t want to get infected.
But for those who wear disposable masks, there’s a frequent question: Can disposable masks like N95 and surgical masks be re-worn?
Yes, but only if you take care of them correctly.
“Don’t touch your mask,” said Dr. Lucian Davis, an epidemiologist at the Yale School of Public Health. He noted that touching a disposable mask could transfer virus particles onto the surface. “If you do touch your mask, wash with soap and water or with alcohol for sure. If you need to remove it, do it in a safe place where you’re not close to others.”
How to safely remove, clean and store a disposable mask
To safely remove your mask and touch as little of its surface as possible. Then, use the ear straps to remove and handle the mask. The majority of virus particles would be on the front, so avoid touching that part of the mask.
Once the disposable mask is safely removed, place it in a convenient but safe storage spot. Davis also recommended using a plastic Tupperware or Ziploc bag. Then, he emphasized the need to not touch the edges of the bag. Rather than trying to clean a disposable mask, Davis recommended just leaving it in a clean, contained environment for a few days.
Davis also noticed that if a disposable mask is visibly dirty, soiled or torn, it should be thrown out immediately. He recommended having a supply of at least three to five masks so that one could be worn while others were being decontaminated.
“We have a limited supply of masks, so it makes sense that people are going to want to reuse them,” Davis said. “Just make sure to do it safely.”
