With the ongoing mass vaccination in Kigali and other districts of the country, many wonder when life will return to normal. However, experts warn that people need to continue wearing masks and maintain social distancing a while longer, especially in public settings.  

"Face masks and physical distancing will need to continue into the foreseeable future,” explains infectious disease specialist Kristin Englund, MD, in an article published by Cleveland Clinic. "Unfortunately, getting vaccinated does not instantly mean we can go back to how life was before. Until we have some level of herd immunity, the vaccine is now just another layer of protection against COVID-19.”

As the government works towards easing some restrictions, it is important to respect the guidelines. Masks are not perfect barriers to transmission, but they don’t need to be perfect if they aren’t used alone. Mask use should be accompanied by other public health measures such as physical distancing, testing, contact tracing and restrictions on large gatherings. 

These measures when combined and respected, can be very effective at slowing transmission and reducing infections.

In an interview with Wellness, Dr Menelas Nkeshimana, the team leader for Covid-19 case management at Rwanda Biomedical Center, reminds the community about face masks basics.

He points out that wearing a facemask is still essential in public places when one is close to others as it is one of the best ways to protect ourselves.

"Wearing a mask is vital to slowing the spread of the virus, but when you look around, you might find people wearing masks in a variety of ways, including dangling from one ear, pulled down below the nose, or resting below the chin. These common mistakes decrease the effectiveness of masking and increase the wearer’s risks of catching and spreading the infection,” he says.

Dr Nkeshimana adds that masks are a simple barrier to help prevent respiratory droplets from reaching others.

"Masks reduce the spray droplets when worn properly. To wear a mask properly, both mouth and nose must be placed inside the mask when stepping out of homes, whether you feel sick or not,” he notes.

He adds that it is very important to wear a mask when you are indoors too, and when you are with other people you do not live with because someone might be sick and will not show any symptoms at all.

To curb the spread of the virus, everyone is required to wear a mask properly, whether you are vaccinated or not vaccinated. 

Dr Nkeshimana says vaccinated people can also catch the virus but they are not likely to be affected as badly as those who were not vaccinated. They can, however, still infect others, which means they are also required to wear masks properly.

He adds that one can make their own choice among the different types of masks to wear, even though they don’t have the same capacity. It is important to maintain safe mask disposal and hygiene for the cloth fabric masks.

Mask dos and don’ts:

Dos:

• Wear your mask when leaving home when in public to prevent the spread of the virus.

• Wear your face mask in a period not exceeding six hours, always carry two masks. 

• Make your sanitiser you mask-wearing routine, wash your hands before and after wearing your mask.

• Wash your cloth mask with warm soapy water and iron when dry. 

• Make sure it covers the mouth and nose and it fits properly without any space on both sides. 

Don’ts:

• Do not remove or lower your mask when speaking, coughing, or sneezing.

• Do not touch your nose or mouth and avoid touching your mask when wearing it.

• Do not buy a mask from uncertified places. 

•  Do not touch another person’s mask, or try one on before purchasing it, masks are sold in sealed packages from the manufacturer.

• Do not share your mask with anyone, a mask must be for one person only.

• Do not use a mask with holes.