The Ottawa Public Health and health experts warn that face masks will lose their effectiveness when they get wet, and you should get a new one right away.
Face masks are mandatory in all indoor public spaces in Ottawa and recommended in places where you cannot maintain two meters distance from others.
The Ottawa Public Health recommends that if your mask becomes damp or dirty, you should exchange it for a new one if you are still in a situation where you need to wear it. Health Canada states that your non-medical masks should be changed as soon as possible if it gets damp or dirty.
The surgical masks with ear loops work at the microscopic level with a net-like lattice that traps particles. This is how things work to prevent your secretions from going out and others from coming in. When a mask gets wet, it becomes distorted and loses its efficacy.
With winter fast approaching, rain and snow could cause your cloth mask to lose its effectiveness. If your mask gets water-logged, it loses its efficacy.
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Learn how to stay safe by enrolling in a mask fitting test which is a requirement for many workplaces and school admissions or the available masks for sale by visiting our face mask sale page.