Do you wear a reusable face mask or a disposable one?

When it comes to wearing a face mask, there is a wide range to choose from and various options and it is a very personal choice.

Wearing a face covering became a condition of entry to indoor public spaces in the UK in late July — and, according to at least one poll, some people haven’t washed their reusable masks or changed their disposable ones since.

As many as 85% of us aren’t washing our fabric face coverings properly in between uses, and 15% have never washed theirs, suggests a YouGov survey from August.

And among those who opt for disposable masks, more than half aren’t binning them after use, but re-wearing them multiple times.

‘A mask is primarily worn to protect others from infected droplets that our breath might release into the air,’ says Dr Tina Joshi, a lecturer in molecular microbiology at the University of Plymouth.

‘It can also help stop us breathing in anyone else’s infected droplets. But it will only work as a barrier if we use it properly.’

That means washing and drying reusable masks in between uses, and disposing of single-use ones after each outing.

Otherwise the mask may become contaminated and any virus on it could spread to the wearer, or to others if it is left lying around the home.

UK Government guidelines advise washing reusable masks ‘in line with manufacturers’ instructions at the highest temperature appropriate for the fabric’, while the World Health Organisation recommends washing them ‘at least once a day’.

How are you getting on with your mask and ensuring it is remaining effective? Do you wear a washable or disposable mask? Do you wash or dispose of your mask after each outing?