Masks

Masks are not all made the same and may fit differently. Find the mask that best fits your face. To properly wear a mask, follow the instructions below:

• Immediately wash your hands before putting the mask on, before adjusting it, before taking it off and after taking it off. Use soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer to clean your hands. Be careful not to touch the part of the mask that covers your face.

• Make sure your mask allows for easy breathing and completely and comfortably covers the bridge of the nose; covers your mouth; and fits snugly, without gapping under your chin or against the sides of your face.  

• Make sure your mask is secured to your head with ties or ear loops without the need to adjust frequently. 
• If your mask has pleats, ensure that the pleats on the outside are facing down when wearing the mask. 
• If your mask has a metal strip over the nose, gently mould it over the bridge of your nose to ensure a close fit. 
• Replace the mask as soon as it becomes damp, dirty, damaged or if it no longer fits after washing and drying.  
• Do not share your mask with others, even within your own household.
• Do not wear your mask around your neck, on your forehead, under your nose, only on your nose or chin, hanging from one ear, or on your arm. 

Watch: How to properly wear a mask video

Poster: Safely putting on & taking off your mask

No. The purpose of the mask is to block respiratory droplets. A mask with three layers that fits securely over the chin without gapping (compressing the beard as necessary) will block respiratory droplets quite well.

Remember that wearing a mask does not replace other protective measures, such as being up to date and having received all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses, including any booster dose(s), physical distancing, hand washing and not touching your face with unwashed hands. Keeping the beard clean is also important.

Please note these recommendations do not apply for health-care workers, who need to follow the guidelines from the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.

• A mask must be worn underneath these coverings to ensure the best fit against the face. Make sure the mask fully covers your nose and mouth; fits snugly under your chin, over the bridge of your nose and against the sides of your face without gapping; can be secured with ties or ear loops and allows for easy breathing. 

You may need to take off your glasses before putting on your mask to ensure the mask is placed properly over your nose. Avoid touching your glasses when wearing your mask. If you need to readjust your glasses, ensure you clean your hands using soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer immediately before and after touching them. 

• It is recommended that you take off your glasses prior to taking off your mask. Only take off your glasses and mask when you can clean your hands using soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Your glasses can be washed with soap and water to decrease potential transmission of COVID-19. 

Foggy eyeglasses can be a challenge in many different situations, including when wearing a mask.

Here are some tips to help prevent your glasses from fogging while wearing a mask:

• Use a well-fitting mask. Make sure the mask fully covers your nose and mouth and fits snugly under your chin, over the bridge of your nose and against the sides of your face without gapping.
• Use a mask that has a bendable metal insert, so you can mould it to fit snuggly over the bridge of your nose. This will prevent air from leaking out of the top. Your glasses should rest on top of the mask.
• Before putting on your mask, wash your glasses with soapy water and shake off the excess. Let them air dry or gently dry off the lenses with a soft tissue before putting them back on. Ensure the mask is placed properly over your nose. Now the lenses should not mist up when the face mask is worn. 

You can take off your mask if/when: 

• You are no longer in a space identified under the Provincial regulations for Step 2 and beyond the reopening plan.
  
• You have difficulty breathing, or
• You are not able to tolerate it for health reasons

And

• You are safely able to maintain a physical distance of two metres (six feet) or more.

Note: If your mask becomes damp or dirty, you should exchange it for a new one if you are still in a situation where you need to wear a mask.

Ensure you wash your hands using soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer before and after removing your mask. The used mask can be placed in a lined garbage bin if it is not reusable, in a sealable bag for storage, or directly into the washing machine.

To wash a cloth mask, follow these steps: 

• After cleaning your hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, remove your mask by pulling the ties or ear loops away from your ears. 
• If your mask has a removable, single-use filter, make sure to remove and throw out the filter before machine or hand-washing your mask. 
• For machine washing, put the mask directly into the washing machine. You can wash it with other laundry using a hot water cycle.  
• If you stored the mask in a bag that is washable, you can wash it with your mask; otherwise, throw the bag out. 
• For hand washing, use laundry detergent and water as hot as it is safe, then wash, rinse and dry thoroughly. 
• Clean your hands again with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer after handling your mask.

Note: Disposable masks should not be washed.

To discard disposable, damaged or worn out masks, throw them in a lined garbage bin. Do not leave any discarded masks in places where others can come in contact with them, such as shopping carts, public seats, bus stops or on the ground. 

To re-use a mask, remove it from your face with clean hands and fold it in half so that the outer surface is inwards (so that the contaminated outer surface is not contacting anything during storage) and place it in a clean, sealable bag until ready to use it again. Do not leave a mask that has absorbed moisture from your breath in a non-breathable bag or container for more than an hour or so.

Note: Disposable masks should not be used for more than one day.

• All air passengers need to have a mask which covers their mouth, nose and chin during travel. 

• People travelling on OC Transpo are required to wear a mask; visit octranspo.com for more details.
• You must wear a mask when using vehicles for hire, such as taxis, Uber, limousines and company vehicles.

Several organizations have proposed guidelines for mask design including what type of fabric or style to use. This is an area of active research and new evidence continues to emerge. At this time, Ottawa Public Health recommends the following materials and design for masks: 

• For the outside and inside of the mask, use two layers of tightly woven fabric that is breathable. Cotton is the most widely used fabric. It is better if the thread count is higher. For example, it is recommended that a 120-thread count or higher be used. A combination of fabrics can be used such as pillowcases, cotton sheets and high thread count cotton with silk, chiffon, quilters cotton or flannel. The more comfortable fabric should be on the inside, against the face.  
• Include a third, non-woven, synthetic material as a middle layer to increase protection against COVID-19 by adding to the mask’s ability to trap small infectious particles. Consider wearing a mask that includes such a layer, for example: 
  • Non-woven polypropylene fabric, which can be found as: 
    • A craft fabric 
    • The non-woven fabric that's used to make some reusable shopping bags 
  • A disposable filtering material inserted into a pocket on the mask.
• Choose fabrics that can withstand multiple washing cycles using hot water. 
• If possible, use different fabrics or colours for the inside and outside of the mask. This will indicate which side to place over your face. 
• Masks with pleats fit more face shapes and sizes. 
• Masks made with a seam down the middle can leak air and may not block droplets as well as other styles of masks. 

A round elastic may fit more comfortably behind the ear than a wide, flat elastic.

Use these resources to make your own cloth mask: 

• How to make cloth face coverings  
• Kids and masks: Tips from an expert

A disposable mask can be re-used during a single day if it:

• Is not damp, damaged or dirty
• Has been stored appropriately between uses

Can my child wear an N95 mask?

Some people who are deaf or hard of hearing rely on lip reading to help understand verbal messages and masks may create a barrier. Employees should be adaptable and kind when communicating with a person who is deaf or hard of hearing, particularly when wearing a mask and let the person suggest their preferred way of communicating. 

Customers and employees can communicate by:

• Using the written word such as text, pen and paper
• Using a phone or on an app such as a voice to text app
• Sharing information through signage and visual tools