Masks: Dos and Don’ts

Social media graphic illustrating mask dos and donts

Wearing a mask that fits well in indoor public places can help protect you from COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases and help prevent you from spreading viruses to others. COVID-19 is still circulating, causing illness, hospitalizations, and deaths.

Wearing a mask may be helpful:

if you have been exposed to, or tested positive for COVID-19
if you or someone close to you has a weakened immune system or is at high risk for severe illness
when you are sick, or caring for someone who is sick
if you have an underlying health condition, are pregnant, or are age 65 years or older
if you wish to, based on personal preference and personal risk

Using layered prevention strategies—like staying up to date on vaccines and wearing a mask—can help prevent serious illness. It is also important to wash hands frequently, cover your coughs/sneezes, and stay home when sick.

If you do wear a mask, be sure to follow these dos and don’ts:

Dos	Don’ts
Do wear a mask that fits snuggly from nose to chin	Don’t wear a mask below your nose, around your neck, or on your forehead
Do wear a mask consistently and correctly to stop respiratory droplets from getting inside or escaping from your mask	Don’t use a single-layer cloth mask or other loose-fitting mask
Dispose of single-use masks in a trash bin	Don’t reuse disposable masks