Iowa Board of Medicine - Face Mask Advisory

Iowa Board of Medicine - Face Mask Advisory

Upon reviewing the considerable emerging evidence from clinical, laboratory, and case reports, the Iowa Board of Medicine joins the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in recommending the use of masks in public areas as a means of preventing infected individuals with, and without symptoms from spreading coronavirus to high-risk individuals.  The specific recommendations are…

• CDC recommends that people wear masks in public settings and when around people who don’t live in your household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
• Masks may help prevent people who have COVID-19 from spreading the virus to others.
• Masks are most likely to reduce the spread of COVID-19 when they are widely used by people in public settings.
• 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.
• Masks with exhalation valves or vents should NOT be worn to help prevent the person wearing the mask from spreading COVID-19 to others (source control).

In addition, the Board of Medicine would like to encourage all physicians and support staff to train individuals on proper face mask use including children as they return to school.   Masks do not replace social distancing especially for high risk individuals who should take extra precautions in public spaces.