Health experts say that one mask doesn't necessarily fit all, and choosing the right mask for you can impact how effective it is in filtering particles in and out of your system.
At this point, you probably know that you shouldn't wear your mask below your nose or under your mouth.
In order to find the right fitting mask, you should make sure it's snug against your face and your nose. It should cover the bridge of your nose and come down over your chin. The sides should not be billowing out. Typically, if it's quite easy to breathe, your mask is likely not tight enough. When you inhale and exhale, the mask should collapse and rise with your breathing movements, indicating a good fit.
“It’s extremely important that the mask fit well, because you have to remember the mask is doing two things: it’s protecting you from getting the viral particles from other people, and it’s protecting other people from getting the viral particles from you," said Dr. McGee, pediatric hospitalist at Spectrum Health.
If you're using a reusable cloth mask, it should have about three layers in it to block viral particles from going in or out.
