How to Wear a Face Mask Properly
Face Coverings Required at All CHKD Facilities at All Times
All patients who are 3 and older and developmentally and medically able to wear a cloth face covering or mask will be required to do so at CHKD practices and facilities. This requirement also applies to the parent or caregiver accompanying the patient. Universal face coverings are one step in CHKD’s efforts to keep our environment as safe as possible for everyone and to protect against the spread of COVID-19.
If you do not have a face mask or covering, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for these
easy directions on making a no-sew cloth face covering from a T-shirt or bandana.
With COVID-19 on the increase throughout the community, we ask that parents and other visitors keep their face coverings on at all times, except when they are eating or sleeping, even while they are in a private room with their child.
No Masks with Valves
A recent study of various types of face coverings reconfirmed that masks of any kind with valves do not protect others from the spread of COVID-19. Valves are openings in the mask that allow exhalations – which could contain SARS-CoV-2 droplets – to escape and infect others. Valved masks are not allowed in CHKD facilities.
Cloth Face Coverings Should:
- fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face.
- be secured with ties or ear loops.
- allow for breathing without restriction.
- be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage.
How to Wear Your Face Covering Properly
- Wash your hands before putting on your face covering.
- Put your face covering over your nose and mouth.
- Make sure it fits snugly on your face and you can breathe comfortably.
- Never place a mask on a child younger than 3.
Use of fabric face coverings is not intended to replace other recommended methods to stop the community spread of COVID-19, such as social distancing, hand washing, and refraining from touching your face.
