We’ve made it out of lockdown! However, we’re expected to be under stage 3 restrictions for at least a week from the end of the stay-at-home order and have been told to expect masks to stick around.
We’ve been really lucky in SA, even when we had strong mask recommendations during the Parafield cluster, but now both the Premier and Chief Health Officer have said at press conferences that we should get used to wearing masks to keep us and our communities safe from the Delta variant.
It’s different this time around, but why?
In short - the Delta variant.
All viruses change over time, that’s why there’s a new flu shot every year, we adapt the vaccine in order to keep ourselves protected from an adapting virus.
Most virus changes have little to no impact on how the virus affect us, but this hasn’t been the case with the COVID-19 Delta variant.
However some, like the Delta variant in this case, can impact on things like how easily the virus spreads, how severe it is when someone is infected and how well vaccines and treatments work.
How quickly and easily this variant can spread, or the infection rate is what we’re combatting with masks.
If we can stop people from getting sick in the first place, then we can stop them from developing the really severe infections the variant is causing and stop people from dying from COVID-19.
But we know they work best when everyone uses them, the best chance we have of stopping the spread is by blocking the virus twice – through the mask of the person infected and the masks of the people around them providing a second line of defence from the virus entering their bodies too.
But if we don’t have cases in the community why do we have to keep wearing them?
While we’ve avoided the amount of community transmission seen in other states and across other parts of the world, what our latest outbreak has shown is that we just can’t be careful enough.
Someone can be infectious in the community before they develop symptoms and whether they’re a family member or you’re sitting in the same restaurant, you just can’t be sure than no one around you is carrying COVID-19.
We’re certainly privileged to live in a place in the world that hasn’t had extended lockdowns, and masking up is important to keep it that way.
So what do we need to think about when choosing and wearing masks?
The main types of masks are fabric or surgical.
Fabric masks are reusable, making them an environmentally friendly decision compared to surgical masks which you need to dispose of after wearing.
You can buy both of these, or you could make your own fabric mask.
If you’re going to make a mask of your own, make sure you watch this video first which covers what types of fabric you need for each of the three layers of your mask.
There are situations where surgical, or medical masks are recommended over fabric masks by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Medical masks are recommended for:
Health workers in clinical settings. See our guidance for more information on the use of personal protective equipment by health care workers.
Anyone who is feeling unwell, including people with mild symptoms, such as muscle aches, slight cough, sore throat or fatigue.
Anyone awaiting COVID-19 test results or who has tested positive.
People caring for someone who is a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 outside of health facilities.
Medical masks are also recommended for the following groups, because they are at a higher risk of becoming seriously ill with COVID-19 and dying:
People aged 60 or over.
People of any age with underlying health conditions, including chronic respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer, obesity, immunocompromised patients and diabetes mellitus.
Non-medical, fabric masks can be used by the general public under the age of 60 and who do not have underlying health conditions.
No matter what type of mask you choose, you need to just follow the WHO’s basics of how to wear a mask:
Clean your hands before you put your mask on, as well as before and after you take it off, and after you touch it at any time.
Make sure it covers both your nose, mouth and chin.
When you take off a mask, store it in a clean plastic bag, and every day either wash it if it’s a fabric mask, or dispose of a medical mask in a trash bin.
Don’t use masks with valves.
Wearing masks is something we can do individually to protect ourselves, each other, our communities and our most vulnerable.
To quote our Chief Health Officer, if you can wear a mask, wear a mask.
We’ve got this, SA.
