Earlier this month, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) made it compulsory for citizens to wear face masks in public places, failing which they can be arrested. After hand sanitisers, masks are the next big thing in demand right now, with shortage of supplies being reported in several parts of the world. At the same time, social media is flooded with gyaan on the effectiveness of masks and DIY tutorials. But all of this boils down to two things: protecting yourself and preventing the spread of the virus, says Dr Abdul Samad Ansari, director of critical care services, Nanavati Super Speciality Hospital.

Save the best for the medics
The highest grade of masks, such as N90 or N95, should be reserved for those on the frontlines of the battle against COVID-19. "When you need to protect yourself, you require masks that can filter out all the droplets coming from an infected person. The ones who need such masks are healthcare professionals," Dr Ansari explains. The second in line are the triple-layered surgical masks, which doctors use while operating. "Common people should not hoard surgical masks. The third kind of masks are cloth ones, whose efficacy is much lesser than surgical masks. However, these masks are sufficient to prevent the wearer from infecting other people."