Public Health Advisory On Use of Face Shield With Face Masks
Public Health Advisory On Use of Face Shield With Face Masks
Public Health Advisory On Use of Face Shield With Face Masks
The use of face masks for COVID-19 prevention is important, as recent studies indicate
that a significant proportion of people who have COVID-19 do not show symptoms
(asymptomatic), and the virus can spread before these people know that they are sick
(presymptomatic). SARS-CoV-2 which causes the coronavirus disease, can spread from
person-to-person through respiratory droplets, often through speaking, coughing or
sneezing. There is evidence that the correct use of face masks reduces the risk of COVID-
19 infection.
An increasing number of people in Nigeria are now using face shields, in the place of face
masks, as they become more widely available. Face shields are generally used in health
care settings by medical professionals to provide barrier protection to the facial area,
including the eyes, nose and lips. Even in healthcare settings, face shields are not meant
to function as primary respiratory protection to prevent infection. Face shields are used
in combination with surgical mask or N95 mask by health workers for maximum
protection during invasive procedures such as intubation.
There are no published studies on the effectiveness of face shields against COVID-19 in
non-healthcare settings.
The NCDC offers the following guidance to Nigerians on the appropriate use of face masks
and face shields:
1. Face masks are very important in helping to limit the spread of COVID-19,
especially in situations where physical distancing may be difficult, such as on
public transportation, markets and in areas where there is a significant
amount of community transmission.
2. For effective protection, face shields are used in combination with an
appropriate face mask in healthcare settings.
3. There is currently limited to no evidence on the effectiveness of face shields
to prevent COVID-19 when used alone by the general public in non-
healthcare settings.
4. There is currently no guidance provided by the WHO or other relevant public
health authority that recommends the use of face shields in non-healthcare
settings to prevent COVID-19.
Given the limited evidence on the effectiveness of face shields in protecting people from
COVID-19 infection in community settings, and the absence of recommendations on their
use, by the WHO and other public health authorities, face shields alone should not be
used in preventing the spread of the COVID-19 infection. When used, it should be done
in combination with an appropriate face mask.
The NCDC will continue to update its recommendations as knowledge about COVID-19
evolves.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control is the country’s national public health institute,
with the mandate to lead the preparedness, detection and response to infectious disease
outbreaks and public health emergencies. The Bill for an Act to establish NCDC was signed
into law in November 2018, by President Muhammadu Buhari. The mission for the NCDC
(2017-2021) is ‘To protect the health of Nigerians through evidence-based prevention,
integrated disease surveillance and response activities, using a One Health approach,
guided by research and led by a skilled workforce’.
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