The Director General of Health Services (DGHS), Ministry of Health, in a letter to the Principal Secretaries of health and medical education of States, said it has been observed that there is ‘inappropriate use’ of N-95 masks, particularly those with valved respirators, by the public, other than designated health workers
The government had in April issued an advisory on the use of homemade protective cover for face and mouth
It asked people to wear it when they step out of their residences
It also said face covers must be washed and cleaned each day in boiling water for five minutes and dried well
Adding salt to this water was recommended
The colour of the fabric does not matter but any used cotton cloth can be used as a face cover. Ensure it fits the face well and there are no gaps on, it read the sides
Washing hands thoroughly before wearing the face cover, switching to a fresh one after the face cover becomes damp or humid, not reusing it after single use without cleaning it, was also advised
Never share face cover with anyone, every family member should have a separate one
