What you need to know about wearing a face mask

Local leaders and health experts are encouraging people to wear face masks to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

WHEN OUT INPUBLIC...NBC26'S JULIANAFALK TELLS US WHATYOU NEED TO KNOWABOUT WEARINGMASKS.FROM HOME-MADECLOTH MASKS... TODISPOSABLEKINDS...WE'REHEARING YOUSHOULD BE WEARINGA MASK WHEN YOU GOOUT IN PUBLIC ONESSENTIAL TRIPS...LIKE TO THEGROCERY STORE ORPHARMACY."WE REALLY NEED TOANYBODY MASKED.THE REAL PURPOSE OFTHAT IS TO PREVENTTHAT ASYMPTOMATICSPREAD.

IN OTHERWORDS, PEOPLEWITHOUT SYMPTOMSSPREADING IT TOSOMEBODY ELSE."DR. ASHOK RAI, THEPRESIDENT AND CEOOF PREVEA HEALTHSAYS WEARING AMASK HELPS KEEPYOUR OWNSECRETIONS TOYOURSELF..."I KNOW PEOPLE HAVEKIND OF A STIGMAABOUT WEARING THEMASK BUT WE HAVE TOGET OVER THAT.

THISWILL HELP US."BUT THERE ARETHINGS TO KNOWBEFORE EVENPUTTING A MASK ON.."DR. RAI SAYS WESHOULD MAKE SUREOUR HANDS ARECLEAN BEFORETOUCHING OUR MOUTHAND FACE.

HE SAYS WECAN SOMETIMESACCIDENTALLY TOUCHTHOSE PARTS THOUGHWHEN PUTTING A FACEMASK ON, SO IT'SIMPORTANT TO USEHANITIZER FIRST ORWASH OUR HANDS FOR20 SECONDS.""TOUCH THE OUTSIDEOF THE MASK, NOTINSIDEOF THE MASKAND MAKE SUREYOU'RE COMPELETELYCOVERING YOUR NOSEAND MOUTH ANDADJUSTING THESTRAPS ANDADJUSTING THEOUTSIDE OF THE MASKTO COVER THAT, BUTNOT TOUCHING INSIDEOF THE MASK.."DR. RAI SAYS PEOPLESHOULD BE WASHINGTHEIR MASKS OFTEN...BETWEEN TRIPS ORAT LEAST DAILY..USING HOT WATERAND SOAP."OR KEEPING MOREMASKS AROUND SOYOU HAVE A BACK UPSO YOU'RECONTINUOUSLYWASHING THEM ASWELL.

"HE SAYS A CLOTHMASK HOPEFULLYWILL LAST A WHILE.AND DISPOSABLEMASKS SHOULD LASTA DAY OR LONGERDEPENDING ON HOWTHEY'RE BEING USED.DR. RAI SAYSWEARING A MASK ISAN ADDITION TOCURRENTRECOMENDATIONSLIKE SOCIALDISTANCING.

HE SAYSWEARING ONEDOESN'T MEAN YOUCAN GO OUT ANDSOCIALIZE WITHOTHERS."THAT'S THE EASIESTWAY FOR US TO GETBACK TO OUR LIVES ASQUICKLY AS POSSIBLE."JULIANA FALK NBC 26.SEVERAL LARGE