Montgomery County Health Officer Urges Residents
to Follow CDC Mask Recommendations
Montgomery County Health Officer Dr. Travis Gayles is urging residents to follow the guidelines released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that recommend the routine use of homemade cloth masks in public settings. More information on the CDC mask recommendation can be found on the CDC website .
The CDC recommends wearing masks where social distancing is difficult to maintain. Masks are not advised for children under two years of age or for individuals with difficulty breathing.
“We don’t currently know how effective homemade masks will be,” said Dr. Gayles. “Wearing a cloth mask is not a substitute for limiting trips outside of your home, continuing to maintain physical distancing or frequently washing your hands. Given the nationwide shortages, surgical and N95 masks are needed for health care providers and these mask types should be reserved for our frontline clinical professionals.”