At the end of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent announcement regarding the next phase of the lockdown procedure, he attempted to illustrate the importance of wearing a face mask before stepping off the podium.
As the president struggled to put on his mask, which at some point covered his eyes, his otherwise characteristically flawless presidential speech came to a comical end.
A split second later social media was already creating “mask challenges” and meme’s poking fun at this unfortunate, yet funny, instant.
The next day, in true Ramaphosa style, he responded by laughing at his own mistake in front of a pack of journalists.
All silliness aside, wearing a face mask has become a necessity. You won’t even be allowed into a shopping centre if you’re not wearing one. You are no longer able to even leave your home without one.
So you now have a face mask. Great. But are you wearing it correctly?
Here are five mistakes to avoid when wearing a mask:
Mistake 1: Your face mask only covers your mouth
Your mask needs to cover your nose and your face. If you are wearing your mask low so it only covers your mouth you’re at risk of becoming ill or making someone else ill.
Mistake 2: Your mask makes contact with other body parts or objects
Your mask has to remain on your face and not be touched in order to prevent cross-contamination.
Mistake 3: Your mask is loose
Masks should fit as tightly to your face as possible. This is to create a proper barrier to prevent unknowingly spreading the virus or picking up the virus.
Mistake 4: The mask only covers the tip of your nose
Your mask needs to cover the entire nose from the bridge of your nose, not just the tip.
Mistake 5: Not washing cloth masks
You have to wash your cloth mask after every use. Otherwise, any germs you may have picked up will remain on the mask.
Wearing a mask is one way to protect yourself from the virus, but only if it’s worn correctly.