‘Treat your mask like your undies, dinnit gan commando...’ COUNCIL’S FUNNY MESSAGE OVER FACE MASKS

SUNDERLAND Council has urged people to wear face masks in a funny message asking people to “treat your masks like your undies.”

In true Mackem fashion, the council urged people to change your masks if it’s damp or foisty appealing for them not to “gan commando.”

It’s now compulsory to wear a facecovering in shops and supermarkets.

And although the police have said they will only use enforcement as a last resort, those who fail to comply with the new rules could face fines of £100, reduced to £50 if they pay within 14 days.

To help get the message across, Sunderland Council thought of a more creative way to encourage face mask-wearing.

In a post they wrote: “Treat your mask like your undies. Dinnit touch or rive at it, especially in public.

“Dinnit borrow one from ya marra or lend yours to them.

“Mack sure it’s canny tight but comfy. “Mack sure it’s the reet way round.

“If it’s stained or hacky, hoy it in the bin. If it’s damp or foisty, change it! Dinnit gan commando!”

It comes after new data shows that the number of positive cases in the city is on the rise with 15 new Covid cases registered in Sunderland and more than doubled in the past 14 days.

Sunderland’s Director of Public Health Gillian Gibson is urging people to comply with wearing face masks as its an important measure in the battle to avoid a local outbreak.

Ms Gibson said: “I know some people may find wearing a face covering a bit strange initially, but this is about us all playing our part and helping to protect each other.

“We are seeing new research that suggests that wearing a face covering helps reduce the spread of the virus, protecting yourself and others.

“Wearing a face covering makes shopping safer for everyone, especially those who are the most vulnerable to the effects of the virus and we all need to be doing everything we can to help.”

As well as wearing masks in shop, you must also wear a face mask at all times on public transport and when attending a hospital as a visitor or outpatient unless they are exempt on medical grounds.

Sunderland City Council is also asking people to wear face coverings when they visit Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens, council libraries and customer service centres.

It’s also good to remember to wash or sanitise your hands when putting on, or removing your face covering.

Face coverings don’t need to be to a medical standard such as the surgical masks or respirators used by healthcare and other workers as part of personal protective equipment.

The most important thing for face coverings worn by members of the public is that they cover both the mouth and nose, and that people continue to follow good hygiene practices and maintain social distancing while wearing them.