Ontario is currently experiencing a very challenging season of respiratory illnesses. The Province of Ontario and KFL&A Public Health strongly recommend residents mask in all indoor public settings, including schools and in childcare settings.
Masking is only one layer of protection. We highly recommend that residents continue with simple layers of protection to protect themselves, loved ones, and our community.
Layers of protection
To reduce your risk and prevent getting sick this season, there are several actions to take:
- Stay home when sick
- Get vaccinated with all the doses you are eligible for
- Wear a mask, especially in indoor public settings
- Avoid crowded indoor spaces
- Maintain physical distancing
- Wash your hands
- Screen yourself and loved ones for any symptoms and use rapid test kits
- Seek out anti-viral treatments, if eligible
Each of these layers adds protection. The more layers an individual uses, the more protected they are.
How do I use, clean, and dispose of a mask?
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When wearing a mask, you should:
- Wash your hands immediately before putting it on and immediately after taking it off (practise good hand hygiene while you are wearing the mask)
- Make sure the mask fits well around your nose and mouth
- Avoid moving the mask around or adjusting it often
- Avoid touching the covering while using it
Masks should be changed when they get damp or soiled. The main reasons for changing a damp mask are:
- moisture reduces filtration and allows droplets to pass through,
- self-contamination,
- harder to breathe through when it is wet, and
- skin irritation.
Do not share your masks with others.
When removing a mask, you should:
- Throw disposable masks out into a lined garbage bin
- Wash your hands
- Do not leave any discarded masks in shopping carts or on the ground
- Reusable face masks must be cleaned frequently. If your face covering is damp or soiled, you should:
- put it directly into the washing machine or a bag that can be emptied into the washing machine
- wash with other items using a hot cycle with laundry detergent (no special soaps are needed), and dry thoroughly
- wash your hands after putting the face covering into the laundry
- all masks that cannot be cleaned should be thrown out and replaced as soon as they get damp, soiled, or crumpled.
- If a washing machine is not available, wash by hand using soap and warm to hot water. Allow to dry thoroughly.
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