Protection information

• To protect yourself and others from infection with respiratory pathogens, good hand hygiene, compliance with cough and sneeze rules and keeping a distance (at least 1.5 meters) are the most important and most effective measures. (RKI)

• By covering the mouth and nose less droplets could be spread. This can reduce the risk of infecting another person through coughing, sneezing or talking. On the other hand, there is insufficient evidence that covering your mouth and nose protects you from being infected by others (self-protection). It is suspected that mouth-to-nose coverings can also reduce the risk of infecting others because they can reduce the speed of the droplets caused by coughing, sneezing, or speaking. Such a protective effect has not yet been scientifically proven. (RKI)

• Not everyone infected with SARS-CoV-2 will notice this too. As a rule, those affected are already contagious with very slight symptoms. Some infected people do not get sick at all, but could still eliminate the pathogen. In these cases, wearing a nose and throat covering as a precaution could help reduce the risk of transmission. (RKI)

• Under no circumstances should wearing a cloth face covering result in the distance rules no longer being observed or coughing and sneezing rules or hand hygiene no longer being implemented. (RKI)

Before, during and after wearing the mask

• When putting on a mask, make sure that the inside is not contaminated. The hands should be washed thoroughly with soap beforehand.

• The mask must be properly placed over the mouth, nose and cheeks and fit as closely as possible around the edges to minimize air penetration on the sides. The mask can be gathered accordingly on the sides.

• A dampened mask should be removed immediately and replaced if necessary.

• The outside of the used mask contains potentially pathogens. In order to prevent contamination of the hands, it should be avoided if possible.

• After removing the mask, the hands should be washed thoroughly in accordance with the general hygiene rules (at least 20-30 seconds with soap).

• After removal, the mask should be put in a bag or something similar, be kept airtight or be washed immediately. It should only be kept for as short a time as possible to avoid mold growth.

• After a single use, masks should ideally be washed at 95 degrees, but at least at 60 degrees and then dried completely. (BfArM)

All information relates to the recommendations of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) and the Bundesinstitut für Arzneiprodukte und Medizinprodukte (BfArM).