•You can also go to jail or get fined Sh20,000 if your business is not providing either soap and water or an alcohol-based sanitiser at the entrance.
Image: EZEKIAL AMING'A
Wearing a face mask is not an iron-clad guarantee that you won’t get sick since the novel coronavirus can be transmitted through the eyes and tiny particles found on surfaces.
Even as Kenyans are grappling to curb the spread of Covid-19, the government has given a directive that every Kenyan should wear a mask or face a fine of Sh20,000 or go to jail.
If you don't pay this amount, six months of your freedom will be taken away from you if you are found not wearing a mask in your car or matatu.
When you are in public, other than wearing a mask, you must also maintain a distance of one metre between yourself and others.
You can also go to jail or get fined Sh20,000 if your business is not providing either soap and water or an alcohol-based sanitiser at the entrance.
The same applies if you violate any of the Public Health (COVID-19 Restriction of Movement of Persons and Related Measures) Rules 2020.
One Kenyan narrated his experience of buying a face mask on the streets.
"I was standing outside one of the supermarkets and two ladies were selling face masks. A guy came, took one, tried fitting it, it didn't fit him. He returned it to the seller. He moved to the next lady, picked one tried to fit on his face once again, it didn't fit him too," the post read.
The post which has been circulating on social media noted, " He gave it back to the seller and mixed it with other masks."
"If that guy is infected with coronavirus, how many people will be infected if everyone around that supermarket tried what he tried?"
But what exactly is a face mask?
A face mask is a device that you wear over your face, for example to prevent yourself from breathing in polluted air or from spreading germs, or to protect your face when you are in a dangerous situation.
If you are likely to be in close contact with someone infected, a mask cuts the chance of the disease being passed on.
If you’re showing symptoms of coronavirus, or have been diagnosed, wearing a mask can also protect others.
So masks are crucial for health and social care workers looking after patients and are also recommended for family members who need to care for someone who is ill – ideally both the patient and carer should have a mask.
Types of masks
The Kenya Bureau of Standards and the Ministry of Health provided the guidance to the public on the use of the masks and other facial coverings.
Surgical masks: Health care givers and patients in medical facilities are advised to use masks that have been certified by KEBS.
The general public is encouraged to leave these masks to the healthcare workers and the patients.
N95 masks: These masks became better known to the public during the pandemic's early stages. The term N95 stands for 'nearly 95' for the device's ability to block out nearly 95 per cent of small particles.
According to the US health agency FDA, an N95 respirator is a respiratory protective device designed to achieve a very close facial fit and very efficient filtration of airborne particles.
The general public is not advised to use the respirators, which are in short supply and should instead be left for medical workers in the front line.
Particle masks: Covered by KS 2409-6:2018, these filtering face masks protect against dust.
These type of masks are designed to meet the requirements as respiratory protective devices to protect against particles.
Reusable cloth coverings
Cloth coverings made of woven fabrics may offer limited protection against droplets.
Noting that currently, there is no Kenya standard for these types of covering, certification for reusable cloth coverings is currently not a mandatory requirement prior to sale.
However, the general public must take caution that such cloth coverings do not guarantee protection against Covid-19.
Members of Public are advised to wash the reusable face masks with soap and water before use.
Industrialisation CS Betty Maina has previously said an ideal mask has three layers of protection.
Wear a mask when caring for the sick or when sick?
According to the World Health Organisation, if you are healthy, you only need to wear a mask if you are taking care of a person with suspected 2019-nCoV infection.
You are also expected to wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing.
Masks are effective only when used in combination with frequent hand-cleaning with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
If you wear a mask, then you must know how to use it and dispose of it properly.
However, in Kenya it has become mandatory to wear a mask when in public.
How to wear medical masks to protect against coronavirus
Before putting on a mask, clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
Cover the mouth and nose with the mask and make sure there are no gaps between your face and the mask.
Avoid touching the mask while using it; if you do, clean your hands with ab alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
Replace the mask with a new one as soon as it is damp and do not reuse single-use masks.
To remove the mask: remove it from behind (do not touch the front of mask); discard immediately in a closed bin; clean hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.