The Postal Service wants to make sure you know how to safely wear and remove face coverings during the coronavirus pandemic.
The organization requires all employees to wear face coverings when there is a state or local order to do so or when social distancing of at least 6 feet cannot be maintained.
To safely wear a face covering or mask, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides the following recommendations:
• Wash your hands before putting on your mask.
• Put it over your nose and mouth and secure it under your chin.
• Try to fit it snugly against the sides of your face.
• Make sure you can breathe easily.
• Don’t put the mask around your neck or up on your forehead.
• Don’t touch the mask, and if you do, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer to disinfect.
Here are the CDC’s recommendations for safely removing a face covering or mask:
• Untie the strings behind your head or stretch the ear loops.
• Handle only by the ear loops or ties.
• Fold outside corners together.
• Place the mask in the washing machine (or the trash, if the mask is disposable).
• Be careful not to touch your eyes, nose and mouth when removing the mask and wash your hands immediately after removing it.
The Postal Service has provided employees with reusable face coverings, along with masks and other protective gear.
The CDC’s website has more instructions on safely wearing and removing face coverings and masks, as well as recommendations on washing and drying them.
