Considerations for Wearing Mask || CDC

Update:20 Feb

Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19

What you need to know

・People age 2 and older should wear masks in public settings and when around people who don’t live in their household.

・When you wear a mask, you protect others as well as yourself. Masks work best when everyone wears one.

・A mask is NOT a substitute for social distancing. Masks should still be worn in addition to staying at least 6 feet apart, especially when indoors around people who don’t live in your household.

・Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol after touching or removing your mask.

・Masks may not be necessary when you are outside by yourself away from others, or with other people who live in your household. However, some localities may have mask mandates while out in public, please check for the rules in your locality.

・CDC continues to study the effectiveness of different types of masks and update our recommendations as new scientific evidence becomes available. The most recent scientific brief is available here: Scientific Brief: Community Use of Cloth Masks to Control the Spread of SARS-CoV-2 | CDC.

Types of masks

Some masks work better than others to help stop the spread of COVID-19 outside of healthcare settings. Medical masks and N-95 respirators should not be used because they should be conserved for healthcare personnel.

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