How does a facemask and cloth face covering work? Am I required to wear one or the other in public? How should I handle personal protective equipment like facemasks, surgical masks, cloth face coverings, N95 respirators and various homemade versions – and what’s the difference anyway?

Face coverings can be an effective means of slowing the spread of the infectious agent for many respiratory illnesses, and may help restrict the spread of COVID-19. Wearing a face covering does not provide complete protection and does not replace other ways of slowing virus spread.

Find below a selection of resources on cloth face coverings developed by NC State Extension’s Food Safety team:

• Facemasks and Cloth Face Coverings
• Do-It-Yourself Cloth Face Coverings
• Bandanas as Cloth Face Coverings
• Cloth Face Coverings for Food Employees
• How to Use Cloth Face Coverings
  • Designed to be printed and distributed with cloth face coverings (prints 2 on a page)

Visit Extension’s COVID-19 Food Safety Resources for a comprehensive collection of resources that provide best practices for preparing for COVID-19 and managing risk for individuals at home and in food environments such as restaurants, grocery stores, food banks, gardens and farms.