Ministry: Use face masks to fight spread

The Ministry of Health is recommending the public should use face masks to reduce the spread of covid19. The advice comes a little over a month after Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh, at a press conference, said that wearing masks by the "average Trinidadian and Tobagonian" was of no use.

A press release from the ministry on Sunday, said that based on ongoing local and international research, it continuously updates its public health protocols as new scientific evidence emerges.

One significant recent development has been the recommendation from the United States' Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) supporting, “wearing cloth face coverings in public settings.”

As such, the ministry is now advising the general population that, once they are out in public, cloth masks (including homemade ones) should be used as a part of the full range of personal protection measures to be adopted to reduce the spread of the virus.

The use of a mask alone will not reduce the risk of getting covid19, the ministry said, so people should not be lulled into a false sense of security thinking wearing a mask will protect them and thus they can resume normal public socialising activities.

Cloth masks (including homemade masks) are recommended for use by the public; surgical masks and N95 masks are reserved for use by healthcare workers; the wearing of masks is highly recommended in areas of high foot traffic (eg supermarkets, pharmacies, hardware stores, banks).

The ministry said that people must follow the recommended procedures for the use of masks, including sanitizing hands before putting on and after removing masks. Cloth masks should also be washed and dried thoroughly before re-use.

The mininstry also said that the public is advised that the consistent use of masks at home is recommended for every member of the household in the following instances:

* If a family member believes they have been exposed to the virus.

* If someone in the home has symptoms of the virus.

On March 4, Minister Deyalsingh called on people not to panic-buy face masks which he said are useless if not used correctly. He added that incorrect use of face masks may actually encourage the spread of the virus.

“Wearing a mask by the average Trinidadian and Tobagonian is of absolutely no use, as a matter of fact, it is more dangerous because the average person who does not know how to put on a mask, or who puts on an ill-fitting mask is going to be adjusting and touching their face," he said at a press conference on March 4.