Viruses can collect on face coverings, so they only work if you use them very carefully:
- Wash or sanitse your hands before you put your face covering on.
- Do not touch it. The covering will stop working if it gets damp from your breath or your fingers.
- Take it off carefully to avoid putting viruses on your face or hands.
- Wash it after you take it off. Fabric coverings should be washed to kill the virus. You can put them in the wash with your clothes and use the same soap powder/liquid.
- Wash or sanitise your hands after touching the face covering.
Tips on how to stop touching your face
Viruses become illnesses when they are passed from your hands into your body. By touching an infected surface and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth, you could be infecting yourself.
The problem is that it is easy to touch your face without realising. We often do things automatically, like resting your face in your hand, rubbing an itchy eye, or touching your lips.
- Try to work out what your hands do most when touching your face – then try to work out how to avoid doing this.
- If you use soap or gel that smells you will notice it when you raise your hands to your face.
- Why not ask other people to tell you if you are touching your face?
- If you really need to touch your face, you can make your hands safe by washing them first – or if you can’t, using a clean tissue to stop your hand having contact with your face.