VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The following is a news release by City County Health Officer Dr. James B. Buhr, MD.

“The CDC continues to remind people that COVID-19 can be spread by people who do not have symptoms and do not know that they are infected. That’s why it’s important for everyone to practice social distancing (staying at least 6 feet away from other people) and wear masks in public settings. Masks are essential to help prevent the respiratory droplets from traveling in the air and onto other people.

What type of face mask should I use during the COVID-19 pandemic? The CDC recommends that members of the public use simple cloth face coverings (3 layers thick) or a paper mask (sometimes known as a surgical mask) when in a public setting to slow the spread of the virus, since this will help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others. Neck gaiters with a single layer of fabric that can be pulled up over the nose and mouth are not adequate.

How are face masks effective during the COVID-19 pandemic? Masks absorb droplets when we sneeze or cough, but face shields do not. If you do choose to wear a face shield over a face mask, you will need to sanitize it frequently. Research has found that this virus likes to live on plastic a lot better than it lives on porous materials like cloth, paper or cardboard.

Should you wear a mask over your nose to protect against COVID-19? Masks must be worn over your mouth and nose. Yes, breathing through a mask can take some getting used to, but don’t lower your mask to breathe through your nose. When you don’t have the mask over your nose, you are breathing or sneezing potentially infectious particles into the air around you.

Does a plastic face shield help? The CDC does not recommend the use of face shields for normal everyday activities or as a substitute for masks. They remind us that anything made of clear plastic is not a mask. This makes sense, since the air has to move into your mouth and to get there simply has to flow around the shield, not get filtered through it as it does through a mask.

Face shields are used liberally along with masks by health care workers when there is a possibility of body fluids splashing into the workers’ eyes, because our eyes can take in virus particles. Even wearing glasses is possibly helpful, and for people that worry about protecting themselves as much as possible, a cloth mask plus a face shield makes sense.

We need to continue all our efforts–mask wearing, distancing, hand washing, avoiding crowds. Remember, the CDC does not recommend use of face shields for normal everyday activities or as a substitute for masks.

For more information on COVID-19 go to www.health.nd.gov and click on coronavirus (more information) or call their hotline at 1-866-207-2880 or contact City County Health District about any concerns or needs that you may have (845-8518). If you or your family would need a cloth mask, they can be obtained at City County Health District.”

James B. Buhr, MD, County Health Officer, City County Health District.