Covid-19 guidelines need to be followed

Perhaps one of the most striking lifestyle changes resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic is the mandatory use of face masks in public places (“Abu Dhabi: New Covid-19 guidelines for travel, visiting public places”, Gulf News, August 15). Wearing a mask, especially when near others, is imperative to slowing the spread of Covid-19. But one look outside of your “safe-at-home” haven and you might find people wearing masks in a variety of different styles: dangling from one ear, pulled down below the nose, or resting below the chin. These common mistakes decrease the effectiveness of masks and increase the wearer’s risk of catching and spreading the disease. If I wear my face mask to protect you from me, and you wear your face covering to protect me from you, then we can all dramatically decrease our risk of transmission of Covid-19. This, in conjunction with social distancing and frequent handwashing or use of hand sanitiser, will be important in limiting the spread of Covid-19 as we return to our usual activities.

HARISH SHANKAR

India