The World Health Organization (WHO) has changed its position on wearing face masks in the coronavirus crisis. To contain infections, it is now recommended to use them in crowded public facilities, the WHO said in Geneva yesterday. At the same time, however, the UN organization warned that masks could even increase the risk of illness if people touched them with dirty hands and contaminated them. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: „Masks can also give a false sense of security.“
So far, the WHO’s position was that mouth protection only made sense for the sick and for those who cared for the sick. Mass use has not been recommended.
Tedros said masks could not replace hand hygiene, keeping a distance and tracking down patients and their social contacts. Masks alone could not protect against Covid-19. Governments should encourage wearing masks where virus transmission is prevalent and where it is difficult to keep a distance from other people, such as in public transportation, shops, or in narrow or crowded areas.
The WHO also found that sewing masks enables people to do something about the virus while providing a potential source of income.
