Kenyans have been advised against wearing face masks unless they are sick.
Ministry of Health Director-General Dr. Patrick Amoth said masks are only recommended for health workers and the infected patients they are treating.
“Masks are important but they are only for two particular indications; one, if you are unwell, to prevent you from passing the droplets to whoever is taking care of you, or two if you are a healthcare worker who is taking care of somebody who is sick,” said Amoth.
“Otherwise use of masks gives you a false sense of security since in trying to adjust the mask you end up touching your nose or eyes which puts you at a risk of transmission of COVID-19.’
He said it is a wastage of resources for healthy people to wear masks.
“If you are not unwell, you are wasting a useful resource which is hard to come by at the moment. Please let us keep the masks for those of us who are unwell and the healthcare workers so that it can serve its purpose,” he said.
The Ministry of Health on Thursday also announced it will start random screening of members of the public at targeted areas beginning Saturday, March 21.
The Health CS Mutahi Kagwe also reactivated the Nyumba Kumi initiative for social control.
