UN in Ethiopia joins WHO’s Wear a Mask Challenge

“Masks combined with frequent handwashing and physical distancing help slow the spread of COVID-19. When I wear a mask, I help protect those around me. When you do, you protect others including me,” said Catherine Sozi, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Ethiopia.

According to WHO, the use of masks is part of a comprehensive package of the prevention and control measures that can limit the spread of certain respiratory viral diseases, including COVID-19.

Masks can be used either for protection of healthy persons (worn to protect oneself when in contact with an infected individual) or for source control (worn by an infected individual to prevent onward transmission).

However, the use of a mask alone is insufficient to provide an adequate level of protection or source control, and other personal and community level measures should also be adopted to suppress transmission of respiratory viruses.

Whether or not masks are used, compliance with hand hygiene, physical distancing and other infection prevention and control (IPC) measures are critical to prevent human-to-human transmission of COVID-19.