The department of health has finally published their conclusion as to which masks are deemed safe to use or not.
Make sure you use surgical masks meeting the following requirements:
- Standard: EN 14683
- Information on the packaging: CE marking and information on the manufacturer, including address
There is no legally binding quality standard for community masks. Make sure you use community masks meeting the following requirement:
- Marked with the TESTEX or SQTS label
or - Reference to the “SNR 30000” rule from the Swiss Association for Standardization (SNV)
The use of FFP masks is not recommended for private use. (This decision is proving quite controversial as specialists are pointing out that in other countries this is the mask which is required for wearing on public transport for example.)
Homemade face masks: These types of masks only provide reliable protection under certain circumstances. They must be made of multi-layered fabrics that meet the recommendations of the Science Task Force.
Covering your face with a scarf of cloth does not protect you sufficiently from becoming infected and is of only limited use in protecting others. A scarf or cloth should not be used instead of a mask.
There are also clear masks and face coverings. We do not recommend most of these products for everyday use – only for certain exceptional situations.
Only surgical masks with a plastic window and clear plastic face covering could be used if lip reading is required.
Remember that disposable masks should only be used once, multi usage masks need to be washed and/or aired regularly (preferably hanging them up).
You should change your mask every 4 hours.
You can get more information on this governmental website page.
