Days after maintaining that there was not enough evidence to suggest that healthy individuals should wear masks and encouraged the use of medical face masks only by those who were sick or caring for the sick, the World Health Organisation on Friday did a U-turn by recommending wider use of face masks.
The guidelines issued by the WHO on Friday said that people aged 60 years and above, and those with underlying conditions are recommended to wear a face mask in situations where physical distancing is not possible.
The new guidelines also advice use of medical masks for all people who are working in clinical areas of health facilities in areas with the widespread transmission, and not only healthcare workers who deal with Covid-19 patients.
“That means, for example, when a doctor is doing a ward round on the cardiology or palliative care units where there are no confirmed Covid-19 patients, they should still wear a medical mask,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a virtual press conference.
For people who are in areas of widespread transmission, "In light of evolving evidence, WHO advises that Governments should encourage the general public to wear masks where there is widespread transmission and physical distancing is difficult," Tedros said while introducing the new guidance.
Based on new research and evidence, the WHO also advises that fabric masks should consist of at least three layers of different materials.
At the same time, WHO also warned that masks are not a replacement for social distancing, hand and respiratory hygiene – and all measures should be strictly followed to keep the risk of Covid-19 transmission at bay.
The cornerstone of the response in every country must be to find, isolate, test and care for every case, and to trace and quarantine every contact," Tedros stressed.