If you keep touching the surface of the mask to adjust it in any way, it increases the risk of surface transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Face touching is a habit you should consciously avoid. Particles and microbes tend to accumulate on all surfaces over time, and your mask is no exception. If you wear the same mask all day it can increase the risks of not just COVID-19 transmission but of other infections too.
Given the humidity and temperature of indian summers, it’s likely you will sweat (often profusely) while wearing the mask. A wet mask is not just suffocating, but is also less effective against the virus. So, carefully take off a wet mask, dispose of it or store it separately, and put on a fresh one whenever needed. The mask is supposed to cover your nose properly, so having your nose stick out of it is not an option during the pandemic. If breathing through the mask is difficult, then try a cotton fabric but it is essential to breathe through the mask, not around it.
By doing this, you’re not just touching the surface of the mask (which increases the risk of surface transmission) but also making droplet transmission of SARS-CoV-2 a real possibility. This little mistake can increase the risk of cross-contamination, so always grab the mask straps behind your ears or head and then gently take it off without touching the surface. You should remove the mask and disinfect it immediately, or carefully place it in a sealed storage bag until you get home to disinfect it.
You can’t reuse a mask until you’ve disinfected it properly. Wash your mask with soap and warm water and then dry it out in the sun (for five hours) or apply heat with an iron (for five minutes). Sunlight and heat (the amount produced by the iron) are natural disinfectants, so don’t skip this step.
