The City of Ottawa states that its human needs task force is still in need of non-medical cloth masks to give to vulnerable residents who may not otherwise have access to them.
The face masks are mandatory in all enclosed public spaces in the city, under a public health order. The city council will be discussing a mandatory mask by-law on Wednesday. In a tweet, the City stated it is grateful for the donations of masks to date, but more are still needed.
The City is asking for cloth masks that are:
- Made with at least two or three layers of tightly-woven fabric but breathable such as cotton, flannel, or quilting cotton.
- Without any seams over mouth and nose through which air may leak.
- Ideally with horizontal pleats to help fit a variety of faces
The masks serve as an additional layer of protection to keep COVID-19 cases in Ottawa low. According to Ottawa Public Health, wearing a mask or face covering should not replace other protective measures including physical distancing, hand washing, not touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands, and self-monitoring for COVID-19 symptoms.
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Learn how to stay safe by enrolling in a mask fitting test which is a requirement for many workplaces and school admissions or check the available masks for sale by visiting our face mask sale page.
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/face-masks-importance-battle-with-covid19
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover.html