Over-60s should wear medical-grade face masks when they’re out and cannot socially distance, WHO says in new guidance
People aged over 60 are now being advised to wear medical-grade face masks by the World Health Organisation.
The WHO is now supporting medical-grade masks for the over-60s and people with underlying health conditions and says they need to be high-quality.
WHO says people over the age of 60 should be wearing medical-grade masks to stop the transmission of the virus.
WHO guidance recommends more complex masks made of three layers of fabric for the general public taking public transport or anywhere they cannot keep their distance, such as shops.
It also says people over 60 or with underlying health conditions should wear medical masks in “settings where physical distancing cannot be achieved” because of “increased risk of infection and/or negative outcomes”, the Guardian reports.
Anyone younger than 60 and in good health should wear a three-layer fabric mask, officials say.
The layers recommended are absorbent cotton closest to the face, followed by a polypropylene layer and then a synthetic layer that is fluid-resistant.
