Table 1.
Policy or recommendation of mask wearing in different countries to prevent COVID-19 transmission.
| The Country or International Organization | Policy about Public Mask Wearing | Recommended or Mandatory (R/M) | Notes and Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. The WHO | The WHO advises that governments should encourage the general public to wear masks where there is widespread transmission and physical distancing is difficult, such as on public transport, in shops, or in other confined or crowded environments. (June 6, 2020) | R | The WHO had previously argued there was not enough evidence to say that healthy people should wear masks. |
| 2. The USA | CDC recommends that people wear masks in public settings and when around people who do not live in your household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain. (August 7, 2020) | R | Masks should not be worn by children under the age of 2 or anyone who has trouble breathing, is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance. |
| 3. China | Masks were relatively common even before the coronavirus pandemic, which is credited to populations used to wearing coverings because of either pollution or previous experience with the SARS and H1N1 outbreaks. | R | Now in the area of low infection risk, people are encouraged not to wear a mask. |
| 4. The UK |
In England and Scotland, face coverings are compulsory in a number of indoor spaces: banks, building societies, and post offices; places of worship; museums, galleries and entertainment venues; libraries, and public reading rooms. Face coverings are compulsory for anyone traveling by public transport in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland (unless they have an exemption or a reasonable excuse). Many of the UK’s secondary school pupils will have to wear face coverings when they return for the autumn term. (August 28, 2020) |
M | Face coverings do not have to be worn where it would be '‘impractical’ to do so, for instance, restaurants, pubs and gyms. |
| 5. France |
France has issued a partial list of ‘indoor, enclosed’ places in which masks are to become obligatory from July 20, alongside further recommendations of how to wear a mask safely and effectively. (July 19, 2020) Wearing a face mask in public has become mandatory across Paris and several surrounding areas. (August 28, 2020) |
M | On August 28, the country recorded 7379 new infections - its highest number since early May. |
| 6. Germany |
Individual states have been given the power to implement their own rules regarding masks. Most states now require residents to wear face masks or coverings while in shops, grocery stores, and shopping malls, as well as on local public transportation. Berlin is the only state where masks are not required in shops and supermarkets, but rather ‘strongly recommended’. (April 22, 2020) |
R/M | Thousands of people, packed close together and not wearing face masks, protested in Berlin on August 1, against official measures intended to curb the spread of the coronavirus. |
| 7. India | Many states in India have made wearing masks compulsory while going out in order to curb the spread of the infection in India. (April 8, 2020) | M | – |
| 8. Italy | Italy’s government said that from 6 pm to 6 am, the wearing of masks would be mandatory in public areas where groups could form. (August 16, 2020) | M | It is compulsory to wear masks inside shops. |
| 9. Canada | Wearing a homemade nonmedical mask/facial covering in the community is recommended for periods of time when it is not possible to consistently maintain a 2-m physical distance from others, particularly in crowded public settings, such as: stores, shopping areas, and public transportation. | R | The best thing you can do to prevent spreading COVID-19 is to wash your hands frequently with warm water and soap for at least 20 s. If none is available, use a hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol. |
| 10. Australia |
Everyone in the state of Victoria must wear a face covering whenever they leave home unless an exemption applies. This is because of the higher rates of community transmission of coronavirus in the state. (August 2, 2020) People in New South Wales should consider wearing a face mask in situations where physical distancing is not possible. |
R | Masks are an extra precaution to protect against COVID-19 in areas with community transmission. Check your local state and territory advice about mask recommendations and requirements. |
| 11. Vietnam | Vietnam made face masks compulsory for people to wear in public on March 16. | M | – |
| 12. Spain | Spain made it compulsory on May 20 for everyone older than six to wear masks in indoor public spaces and outdoor ones when it is impossible to keep more than two meters apart. (May 20, 2020) | M | – |
| 13. South Africa | South Africa is moving to make it mandatory to wear nonmedical cloth masks when people are outside their homes. | M | Wearing cloth masks is being introduced in conjunction with maintaining a physical distance of at least 1.5 m and strictly following hygiene measures such as hand washing. |