GENEVA – Dr Tedros Adhanom the Director General of World Health Organization (WHO) has revealed that there’s no black or white answer as masks alone cannot stop the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement dated April 6,2020, Mr Tedros noted that countries must continue to find, test, isolate and treat every case and treat every contact.
“Mask or no mask, there are proven things all of us can do to protect ourselves and others+ keep your distance, clean your hands, cough or sneeze into your elbow, and avoid touching your face,” reads an excerpt.
He noted that countries could consider using masks in communities where other measures such as cleaning hands and physical distancing are harder to achieve because of lack of water or cramped living conditions.
“If masks are worn, they must be used safely and properly. WHO has guidance on how to put on, take of and dispose of masks,” reads the statement in part.
He added that there’s is limited research in the area of masks use.
Mr Tedros encouraged countries that are considering the use of masks for their general population to study their effectiveness so that they can all learn.
“most importantly, masks should only ever be used as part of a comprehensive package of interventions,” Tedros noted.
