The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control  has stated that the use of non medical face masks do not prevent one from contracting diseases.

Non medical face masks includes private or commercial production of  face mask using fabric ,clothes and other materials.

According to NAFDAC, they can be referred to as barrier masks as they help to reduce spread of diseases.

The agency in a statement released on 27th April educated the masses on how best to produce face masks made from fabric and how they can be used effectively to reduce disease spread .

The statement reads in full;

Non-medical face masks include self-made or commercial masks or face covers made of cloth, other textiles or other materials such as paper.

They are not standardized and are not intended for use in healthcare settings or by healthcare professionals.

They serve to limit spread of droplets and offer some measure of protection to those around you.

The material of construction is usually cloth(textile fabric), non-woven wadding, or  paper-like materials.

For these Barrier Masks, 100% cotton is preferred though, polyester, linen or  knit fabric can be used.

Simple test: If wearer can put off a flame from  a cigarette lighter that  is placed in front of the wearer, the mask is protective enough

Barrier face masks do not prevent you from contracting disease  but, they have been found to contribute to reduce spread of infections when used widely in conjunction with other measures. 

Such measures include social distancing, not touching the face, eyes or mouth, washing of hands with soap for 20 secs or use of alcohol based hand  sanitizers.

These face masks are recommended to be washed daily and preferably should be a double layer of fabric to increase the absorbency and effectiveness.

It must be noted that several washes, drying and stretching of the mask over time reduce the effectiveness of the mask.” 

This directive is coming after the federal government and some state governors mandated wearing of face mask  for everyone as we continue the fight against covid-19.