Face Masks And Face Coverings: Your Absolutely Bumper Guide
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Off to the shops today? Don’t forget your face covering. It’s now mandatory to wear one in shops and on public transport in some parts of the UK, while strongly advised in others. Those caught without one may face fines and even be barred from entering shops and takeaways.
With face coverings being a pretty new concept for most (and plenty of mixed messaging over the past few months), it can be confusing knowing where to begin when wearing one – and why you’d even bother.
That’s why we’ve pulled together all of the latest information into one place to help you on your way to face cover greatness.
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What type of face covering should I wear?
There are dozens of types of face mask and face covering out there, which makes things pretty confusing if you’re not sure where to begin when buying (or making) one.
As it stands, the general public are urged to wear face coverings by the UK government. These are different to the surgical and medical grade face masks that healthcare workers wear.
Face coverings can be anything from scarves that wrap around your face to the material face covers you can now buy from lots of high street retailers (it’s worth noting these are unregulated and not considered fit for medical use).
The key rule of wearing a face covering is that it must cover your nose and mouth to work properly. It should also fit well, which means not having loads of gaps at the sides – you want it to fit flush to your face, sitting across the top of your nose and tucking underneath your chin. Jets of air can escape from the back and sides of some masks if they are ill-fitting, a study found.
