WHO shares guidelines on how to wear mask

These masks emerged as a supplement at a time when the world experienced a shortage of medical masks, with many taking up the job of making this protective equipment from cloth at home.

WHO advised that fabric masks can be worn by those who do not have COVID-19 symptoms. This includes people who are in close contact with social workers, cashiers and servers.

Fabric masks should also be worn in busy public settings like public transport, workplaces, grocery stores and other crowded environments.

We once again find ourselves back at where we were about a year ago. As Covid cases soar in the country, we need to be reminded of ways in which we can keep our surroundings clean, as well as maintain personal hygiene.

Around the country, some people have aggressively gone back to cleaning and disinfecting, and while it is a good habit, one needs to understand just how much of it is enough, and when to stop as well.

“Largely, the good old-fashioned cleaning with soap/detergent and water is efficacious against COVID-19. There is a growing body of evidence that shows that regular soap and water cleaning is usually enough to wash away this virus and prevent infections. Just like how we wash our hands with soap and water, our homes can be kept clean, too,” says Dr Sudhir Gore, head, trauma and emergency, Fortis Hospital, Kalyan.

Suggests three easy steps to clean properly and keep yourself and your family safe:

* Use soap water to properly clean surfaces.

* If you use disinfectant, read the product instructions in full, so that you know how the disinfectant works and is to be applied.

* If using harsh chemicals to deep-clean, wear a mask and protective eye gear; keep the room open to enable ventilation. Children and elderly should not enter till after four days of cleaning.

* Open the windows and doors to ventilate the space as you clean the rooms.