Sparta Residents, CDC Expands Recommendations To Cloth Face Masks

Press release from Sparta Township:

April 9, 2020

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has expanded its recommendations regarding the use of cloth face coverings in slowing the spread of COVID- 19. Recent research has suggested that a significant number of people who test positive for COVID-19 have mild or no symptoms, and those who develop symptoms can transmit the virus before symptoms appear. This indicates that the virus can spread between people who are not showing symptoms. To combat such spread of the virus, the CDC now recommends the use of cloth face coverings in settings where social distancing is difficult, such as in a grocery store or other public place.

Cloth face masks can be made at no or low cost from common household items. They should fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face, be secured with ties or ear loops, include multiple layers of fabric, allow for breathing without restriction, and be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to its shape.

Click here for the press release from the Sussex County Department of Health, see below to download instructions for making your own cloth face cover.

This press release was produced by Sparta Township. The views expressed here are the author’s own.