Did you hear that changes have been made now to New Zealand’s mask wearing protocol? Omicron cases are increasing and we are in red traffic light system and school is starting next week. Are you ready for back to school or gym?

Face coverings now must be an actual mask as opposed to scarves bandannas or T-shirts pulled up over the face, for example.

Students in Year 4 and above are required to wear a mask.

CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) also updated their recommendation on what types of mask to be worn. Overall, the CDC recommends wearing the most protective mask that you can, ensuring that the mask fits well, and finding one that can be worn consistently. A well-fitting mask should fit snugly against the sides of your face and not have gaps. The CDC also suggests having a mask with a nose wire to help you get a secure fit and prevent air from leaking out of the top of the mask.

Ways to have better fit and extra protection with cloth and disposable masks

So make sure when you are sewing your own masks, they are not single-layer fabric or those made of thin fabric that don’t block light. We stock Vilene ILC 151 Mask sew-in interface just for this purpose. Using two layers of ILC 151 filters in between outer and inner layer makes 4 layers of protections.

ILC 151 Mask Filter Non Woven for Non Medical Face Mask

And you can add nose wire to fit better as well. And don’t forget to add elastic toggle to adjust the elastic around your face for better fit!

Stay Safe!