THE BIG COVER-UP

The mask can be a mighty weapon in the fight against Covid-19 – if you wear it properly

- LESEGO SEOKWANG

THE experts are unanimous: wearing a mask is one of the most basic ways you can help fight the virus that’s claimed the lives of more than two million people around the world.

Yet so many are still not wearing a mask, or wearing it in a way that doesn’t offer the right kind of protection. Yes, masks can be irritating, especially on hot days.

That’s why so many of us have become increasingly creative in the ways we choose to wear them. But doing so increases our risk of getting sick.

Make sure you’re not falling into any of these mask traps and see what you can do to make it more comfortable.

1. The nose tickler This is one of the most common. Exposing your nose may make it easier to breathe – but it also means viruses can get up your nostrils. You might as well not be wearing a mask.

2. The dangler Masks get stuffy, spectacles get foggy and sometimes you just want to breathe in fresh air, so many people tend to dangle their mask from one ear as they walk from store to store.

But your mask could fall to the floor and pick up germs.

And if your hands are dirty and you’re taking off and putting it back on with your dirty hands, you could be transferring germs.

3. The straw door A favourite of foodies. Many diners want to err on the side of caution when they’re eating, so they make an incision in their mask, either as a hole through which to sip a straw or by making a bigger gash in the mask to be able to take mouthfuls of food. This makes the mask less efficient.