With the ongoing pandemic, it's easy to let your guard down. We're here to remind you to continue to properly wear your face masks to protect yourself as well as others.

We're all tired of hearing about COVID-19 and how we can limit the spread, but we just can't let our guard down if we want to stay protected against the virus. It's about everyone's basic well-being. Wearing a face mask, social distancing and proper hand hygiene have been our lifeline lately, and the most important tool in this arsenal is wearing a face mask.

Many suggest face masks are key to reducing the spread of COVID-19, which is why health officials still recommend we wear them. And we get it. It's been months now and we want things to go back to normal — when we could socialize with family and friends indoors or even give someone an encouraging hug. But now it's more important that we keep ourselves and our loved ones safe. So it's never too late for a friendly reminder on how to properly wear a face mask and why it's so important against the spread of COVID.

Let's start with basic steps from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on properly wearing a face mask:

• Wash your hands before putting on your face mask
• Make sure you can breathe easily
• Don't touch the face mask, or if you do, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer to immediately disinfect and keep from spreading germs
• Face masks are most effective when they cover both the nose and the mouth. Resist the temptation to put the face mask around your neck, on your forehead, or only on your nose or over your mouth

Here are some do's and don'ts from the CDC to remember

DO choose masks that:

• Have two or more layers of washable, breathable fabric
• Completely cover your nose and mouth
• Fit snugly against the sides of your face without gaps

DO NOT choose masks that:

• Are made of fabric that makes it hard to breathe, like vinyl for example
• Have exhalation valves or vents, which allow virus particles to escape

We can't forget or neglect mask cleanliness. It's not only important you wear them regularly but wash them regularly, too. The CDC has detailed guidelines on how to properly clean and dry face masks, which can be found here.

We all have a role to play to ensure life is safe for everyone. Our dedicated providers and specialists are here to help on our Virtual Visit patient platform. Call 321.434.3131 to schedule an appointment.