Regular washing, drying of face masks reduce effectiveness —NAFDAC

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Tuesday warned Nigerians against regular washing of face masks.

The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof Christianah Adeyeye, said in a statement that frequent washing, drying and stretching of the fabric face masks over time reduce its effectiveness.

She added that non-medical face masks could not prevent the spread of COVID-19.

According to the NAFDAC chief, non-medical face masks which include self-made or commercial masks or face covers made of clothes, other textiles or other materials such as paper were not standardised or designed for use in healthcare settings.

Adeyeye said such masks only limit the spread of droplets and when over- washed lose their effectiveness.

She said: “It must be noted that several washes, drying, and stretching of the mask over time reduce the effectiveness of the mask.

“Non-medical face masks include self-made or commercial masks or face covers made of clothes, other textiles or other materials such as paper. They are not standardised and are not intended for use in healthcare settings or by healthcare professionals.

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“They serve to limit the spread of droplets and offer some measure of protection to those around you.

“The material of construction is usually clothes (textile fabric), non-woven wadding, or paper-like materials. For these barrier masks, 100 percent cotton is preferred though; polyester, linen, or knit fabric can be used.”

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