Wear masks in public, WHO advises
LONDON (Reuters) — The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday updated its guidance to recommend that governments ask everyone to wear fabric face masks in public areas where there is a risk of transmission of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and when social distancing is not possible, such as on public transportation and in shops, to help reduce the spread of the pandemic.
In its new advisory, prompted by evidence from studies conducted in recent weeks, the WHO stressed that face masks were only one of a range of tools that can reduce the risk of viral transmission, and should not give a false sense of protection.
“Masks on their own will not protect you from COVID-19,” WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters at a briefing.
Ghebreyesus emphasized the importance of hand-washing, social distancing and other infectionprevention strategies in the fight against COVID-19.
In a Reuters interview, Maria van Kerkhove, the WHO’s technical lead expert on COVID-19, said, “We are advising governments to encourage that the general public wear a mask, and we specify a fabric mask – that is, a non-medical mask.”
“We have new research findings; we have evidence now that if this is done properly, it can provide a barrier ... for potentially infectious droplets,” Van Kerkhove added.
Britain has said masks will be compulsory for passengers on buses, trains, aircraft and ferries in England starting June 15.