In the times of COVID, wearing a mask is one of the many ways to keep yourself safe and prevent the risk of infections. However, wearing a mask isn’t the most comfortable thing ever, especially for long hours. It can make you scratchy, sweaty and even a bit claustrophobic.
Add to this, if you are not wearing one the right way, i.e., creating grievous mask mistakes, you are actually risking your own health. Experts also say that some of the mistakes, even when you are sick can make it potentially unsafe.
You Touch Your Mask With Your Hands That Are Not Clean
If you have not washed your hands and you place the mask on your face, then you have contaminated the mask. This increases your becoming infected. Always wash your hands before putting your mask on.
Wearing A Mask That You Wore Once Before
If you take off your mask somewhere and place it on a surface, and you put it back on, then it is contaminated and if anything, it will increase the chances of you developing a sickness. You must keep your mask on at all times as long as you are out and then take it off and dispose it carefully at home.
A Wet Mask Is Not Effective
If you are getting your mask wet by licking it or using wet hands to put it on (which would contaminate it anyway), it will not be effective as it will cause the mask to become porous. That means germs will go through it easily and that means you are spreading germs while wearing a wet mask.
You Are Wearing The Wrong Side
The front side of the masks is colored or has a brand name. The backside has filters that are meant to keep you and others protected. If you wear your mask the wrong way, whereas the front is touching your face, it is ineffective for the obvious reason.
Your Mouth And Nose Is Not Covered Fully
If you are wearing your mask underneath your nose then you are wearing it wrong. You must completely have it covering your nose and mouth without any gaps in between for it to be effective.
You Did Not Put The Mask On In A Timely Manner
If you put your mask on as soon as you started waiting in line at the grocery store, then that is too late. The time to put your mask on is right before coming out of your car. Use hand sanitizer before you do and keep your mask in an unused plastic bag as well when you bring it with you.
You Are Not Social Distancing While Wearing The Mask
You may think the mask is the magical way to prevent you from catching an infection from others and you not spreading anything. Therefore, you may get very close to others. However, a mask strongly reduces the spread of germs, but viral particles can still get in which means even while wearing the mask, you need to keep social distancing to really keep your chances of infecting others and catching an infection to a minimum.
You Are Out For Longer Than 2 Hours And Have Not Changed The Mask At All
If you keep wearing the same face mask for 2 hours or longer if you are out for that length of time, then you are attracting germs. Therefore, you are increasing your chances of catching a virus or a bacterial infection. Change your mask every two hours and be sure to wash your hands after taking the old mask off.
You Put Too Many Chemicals On It To Cleanse It
If you are saturating the mask with hand sanitizer or spraying it with Lysol, then you are putting too many chemicals on it which you will end up inhaling. You can sanitize your mask but you will want to do so lightly so you do not breathe in the chemicals.
You Don’t Realize That There Are Differences With Masks
Not all masks are designed the same as an N95 mask is able to keep 95 percent of germs out as long as they are worn correctly. If you wear a surgical mask, it prevents your own germs from being spread to others even more.
The next time you are ready to put a mask on, be sure to do so correctly in order for it to be effective.
