Linn Co. Public Health urging residents to wear face masks in public
Linn County Public Health is strongly recommending all residents and visitors to consistently and correctly wear a cloth face covering in public settings and when around people who do not live in your household, especially when physical distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
These recommendations are in alignment with the Iowa Department of Public Health’s recently launched #StepUpMaskUpIA campaign to encourage Iowans to follow important public health mitigation measures.
It is also based on evidence that a person with COVID-19 can transmit the virus to others before they develop symptoms or have an asymptomatic infection. Recent scientific evidence and case studies in hospital and community settings show universal use of cloth face coverings can prevent people who have COVID-19 from spreading the virus to others.
Pramod Dwivedi, Linn County Public Health Director states, “I strongly urge our community to wear cloth face coverings to slow the spread of COVID-19. By wearing a cloth face covering, you show you care about your neighbors, your friends, and your family. It is a simple way to protect the health and safety of our community, and benefits everyone.”
When wearing a cloth face covering:
Make sure you can breathe through it
Wear it whenever you go out in public
Make sure it covers your nose and mouth
Wash after using
While cloth face coverings are a simple and effective tool in reducing the spread of COVID-19, there are some individuals that should not wear a cloth face covering, including; children younger than 2 years old, anyone who has trouble breathing, and anyone who is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the cloth face covering without assistance.
For more information about cloth face coverings, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 webpage on Cloth Face Coverings.
