Face Masks

Wear a mask correctly and consistently for the best protection. Be sure to wash your hands or use hand sanitizer before putting on a mask and do not touch the mask when wearing it. If you have to often touch/adjust your mask, it doesn’t fit you properly, and you may need to find a different mask or make adjustments. 

CDC recommends that people wear masks in public settings, at events and gatherings, and anywhere they will be around other people. Effective February 2, 2021, masks are required on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation traveling into, within, or out of the United States and in U.S. transportation hubs such as airports and stations.

For more specific guidance on how to select masks and how to wear them, check out the CDC guidelines.

There are many types of masks you can use to protect yourself and others from getting and spreading COVID-19. Cloth masks can be made from a variety of fabrics, and many types of cloth masks are available. Do not wear cloth masks with exhalation valves or vents, single layer or masks made of thin fabric that don’t block light. Disposable face masks are widely available. Do not wear disposable masks with gaps around the sides of the face or nose, or if wet or dirty.

For more information on various types of masks, and how and when to wear them, check out the CDC guidelines.

When choosing a mask, look at how well it fits, how well it filters the air, and how many layers it has. Make sure your mask fits snugly against your face. Gaps can let air with respiratory droplets leak in and out around the edges of the mask. Pick a mask with layers to keep your respiratory droplets in and others’ out. A mask with layers will stop more respiratory droplets getting inside your mask or escaping from your mask if you are sick. 

For specific directions to make your mask better, check out the CDC guidelines.

As of May 16, the state of New Mexico will require use of face masks in public places, with exceptions for eating, drinking and exercising and medical requirements.

Watch the how-to video.