Karnataka health department backtracks on its earlier circular on masks

New stand is that public should wear homemade masks whenever one comes into contact with a stranger.

Backtracking on its earlier circular that not everyone needs to wear a mask, the Karnataka Health Department issued a fresh circular on Thursday that public should wear homemade masks whenever one comes into contact with a stranger.

The circular said the public should wear masks during shopping, when one attends office work and whenever he/ she interacts with a primary or secondary COVID-19 contact by chance or choice. It has recommended a mask size of nine inches by seven inches for adults, and seven inches by five inches for children. One can use unused or untorn old cotton clothes like a veil, banian, T-shirt or handkerchiefs, for stitching the mask. Using synthetic or semi-synthetic clothes is not advisable, it said.

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The masks should have two folds with three frills and four threads on the four corners to tie to the head. It can either be hand stitched or machine stitched, the circular said. "These masks can be reused by washing in hot water and ironing. In this context, it is desirable that every person should have a minimum of two masks," the circular said.

"But in order to protect oneself from bacteria and viruses, a person has to use medically certified masks only," the circular said.