In Kinshasa and Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, MSF has started the production of thousands of reusable cloth masks to increase the protection of patients, caretakers and non-medical staff in the facilities we support. For several weeks now, MSF has been working with a network of 20 small sewing shops to produce those masks made to one of several validated templates and made of appropriate material.



We are not talking here about surgical or respirator masks that are used and required for MSF health workers and frontline workers whose job takes them into contact with vulnerable people. The reusable masks produced by MSF in DRC are given to patients, caretakers and non-medical employees. At times of high transmission and in the early stages of an outbreak, ideally everyone should be practicing physical distancing and handwashing. But in some places this will be difficult or impossible to implement. While the wearing of masks by most or all members of a community will not alone stop transmission of COVID-19, if done in association with other measures, it could help to reduce or slow the transmission.



Reusable masks are useful here as they can cut down the transmission of droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. They can also increase the benefits of handwashing by making it less likely the wearer will touch her/his mouth or nose. Finally, they can act as a very visual reminder of the other essential measures that are being so widely reported. Since people might feel they can take short-cuts on the other measures while wearing masks, information about the correct usage of those masks is systematically provided when these masks are given.