GREENSBORO, N.C. — Mask mandates are once again coming to cities and counties in the Triad. It's been a while since masks were required for everyday type activities, but as the COVID numbers surge, more and more municipalities are putting mandates back in place.
Researchers at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill found the virus tends to infect the nasal cavity first. Then in some cases, it travels further in the respiratory tract where it can infect the lungs and lead to a potentially deadly case of pneumonia.
This means the best way to protect yourself from the virus is to wear a mask that properly covers your nose and yes, your mouth too.
“The paper masks have generally been found to be more effective in capturing the virus droplets and particles 3:10 the cloth masks are often made with one layer of fabric, the more layers of fabric the better the filtration,” said Dr. David Jordan, Alamance Regional Chief Medical Officer.
If you're wearing a typical paper mask, is your mask on inside out?
If there is blue on one side and white on the other, the blue is supposed to face out.
Is your mask on upside down? Feel both ends, whichever one has the stiff edge, that's the top. Remember, you use it to seal around your nose. And even though you’re familiar with masks, it’s easy to get casual with them. Don’t take them off by touching the mask itself, use the ear loops.
How often should you wash your cloth mask?
The answer is, daily. One doctor even said you should treat it like underwear, a new mask, or pair every day. But don't let not washing it lead to you not wearing a mask. If you miss a night of washing, wear the mask, just wash it the next night.
“If you sneeze, sneeze with your mask on and into your elbow. If you take your mask off you defeat the purpose of why you've been wearing the mask all day. If you just sneeze into your elbow, you defeat the purpose of the mask catching the droplets,” said Jordan