Authentically South African: Five face masks to add to your collection

I would have laughed at whoever told me, at the turn of the year, that face masks were going to become an essential wardrobe item in 2020.

But as it turns out, this protective tool is one of the most important defensives against the rapid spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Sunday’s statistics have yet to be announced by our ministry of health but we know for certain that thus far South Africa has:

230 686 infections
6 336 positive cases
2 549 recoveries; and
123 deaths

It is scary to imagine the near future with the COVID-19 figures skyrocketing at great speed. That’s why it is important for the public to practice extreme measures of safety.

We’ve already delved into the things you can do to stay safe when you’re out and about during this lockdown. This time around, I’ve decided to take a more focused look at face masks, the role they play in fending off person-to-person transmission and the five locally made protective gear you can support.

Face masks: Our first line of defence against COVID-19

The importance of face masks in these trying times has been overstated. Not having one to protect yourself when you’re out is shunned upon.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) asserts that fabric face masks are recommended for public use, as “an additional preventative measure against COVID-19.”

The pathogen is generally spread via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. We don’t need to further state how that scenario would play out if you were wearing a fabric face mask in that situation.

In support of local, we have come up with a list of these five proudly South African masks you can purchase today.