Considerations for wearing masks : help slow the spread of COVID-19

Details

• Corporate Authors:
  National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (U.S.). Division of Viral Diseases.
• Description:
  Updated Nov. 12, 2020
  
  • CDC recommends that people wear masks in public settings and when around people who don’t live in your household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
  
  • Masks may help prevent people who have COVID-19 from spreading the virus to others.
  
  • Masks are most likely to reduce the spread of COVID-19 when they are widely used by people in public settings.
  
  • Masks should NOT be worn by children under the age of 2 or anyone who has trouble breathing, is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
  
  • Masks with exhalation valves or vents should NOT be worn to help prevent the person wearing the mask from spreading COVID-19 to others (source control).
  
  
• Content Notes:
  Evidence for Effectiveness of Masks -- Who Should Wear A Mask? -- Who Should Not Wear a Mask -- Feasibility and Adaptations -- Masks with Exhalation Valves or Vents -- Face Shields -- Surgical Masks -- Recent Studies.
• Subjects:
  Coronavirus Infections COVID-19 Hygiene Masks
• Document Type:
  Webpage
• Collection(s):
  Stephen B. Thacker CDC Library
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:96a24593eaf0d4bdad63dbab1a2d8cfeb5f4f677e75868356e74f098efd95c9e
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/97123/cdc_97123_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 878.95 KB ]