#DoingMyPartCO: State government is "asking all Coloradans to wear face coverings when they go out of the house for essential functions, like grocery shopping."
In an address on Friday afternoon, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has asked Coloradans to wear face masks whenever they leave the house for "essential functions."
According to Polis, the masks can be handmade from scarves and old clothing, like t-shirts. The masks should be worn during grocery shopping and other essential tasks. Officials say that you don't need to possess any sewing skills to create a face mask, in fact, the Colorado Mask Project has plenty of DIY options.
To clarify, the government is requesting that Coloradans wear face coverings, NOT medical masks (i.e., N95). Medical masks must be reserved for medical works, said Polis. Masks need to cover both the mouth and nose. When washing the masks, the washer should be set to the hot setting.
Polis said that the masks are intended to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus or other illnesses, but he also acknowledged that cloth masks aren't a "100 percent safeguard." The more people wear masks, the sooner the state of Colorado can remove those restrictions under the stay-at-home orders, said Polis.
Read more about the advantages of wearing face masks.
“For the foreseeable future, this is going to be part of our culture in Colorado,” he said.
You can watch the Governor's address below:
