Face Coverings
Wearing a tight-fitting, well constructed mask is an important way to protect yourself and others. The Chief Medical Officer of Health strongly recommends wearing face masks in all public settings, including schools and in childcare settings. Businesses and organizations may also choose to implement their own rules related to masking.
Please visit the Ministry of Health’s face coverings and face masks webpage for the most current information on face covering guidance and recommendations.
Face Covering FAQs
When to wear a mask? |
To help stop the spread of COVID-19 it has been strongly recommended by the Ministry of Health to wear a mask in all indoor, public settings (including schools and childcare settings, unless under two years of age). You should wear a mask if you:
People at higher risk for severe illness are encouraged to wear a mask for greater protection, particularly if they have not received all recommended doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, including:
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How do I properly wear a mask? |
To learn about face coverings or masks and how to properly wear, fit, remove and clean your mask to help stop the spread of COVID-19, please visit the Ministry of Health’s face coverings and face masks webpage. When layered with other recommended public health measures, a well-constructed, well-fitting and properly worn mask can help prevent the spread of COVID-19. For more information on how to layer protection from COVID-19, please visit How to Protect Yourself from COVID-19. |
As stated by Health Canada, masking is an evidence informed intervention to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Especially when layered with other recommended public health measures, a well-constructed, well-fitting and properly worn mask can help prevent the spread of COVID-19. For more information on how to layer protection from COVID-19, please visit How to Protect Yourself from COVID-19. |
How do I wash, re-use, and discard a cloth mask? |
To wash a cloth mask, follow these steps:
Note: Disposable masks should not be washed. To discard disposable, damaged or worn out masks, throw them in a lined garbage bin. Do not leave any discarded masks in places where others can come in contact with them, such as shopping carts, public seats, bus stops or on the ground. To re-use a mask, remove it from your face with clean hands and fold it in half so that the outer surface is inwards (so that the contaminated outer surface is not contacting anything during storage) and place it in a clean, sealable bag until ready to use it again. Do not leave a mask that has absorbed moisture from your breath in a non-breathable bag or container for more than an hour or so. Note: Disposable masks should not be used for more than one day. For more information on how to care for your face mask, please visit the Government of Canada’s website. |
Can I re-use a disposable mask? |
A disposable mask can be re-used during a single day if it:
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Additional resources
- How to choose, use and care for a face mask
- How to make your mask fit properly
- Optimizing the Use of Masks Against COVID-19
- Ministry of Health Public Health Measures
- Public Health Agency of Canada
- The Do's and Don'ts of Wearing a Face Covering
- Transmission modes for COVID-19
- Types of masks and respirators
- Use of masks in Non-Health Care Workplace Settings to Mitigate the Spread of COVID-19
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