【Germany Archives】

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to sweep the globe,Germany Archives many of us are getting used to wearing face masks to stop the virus' spread. However, an Australian expert has warned simply wearing them isn't enough. We should also think of our masks like underwear, and keep them, clean, personal, and on.

"Assume your mask is like underwear," Bruce Thompson from Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne told the AAP on Monday. "So don't take it off in the middle of public. Don't fiddle with it in the middle of public, don't share them with somebody else.

"The concept of actually taking your underwear off in public and putting them on a kitchen bench is horrible — but that's effectively what you are doing."

Thompson further added that you should have as many masks as you have underwear, so between six to 12 masks. (If you don't have at least six pairs of underwear that's a whole other issue.) These masks should be used on rotation and washed regularly. You wouldn't wear the same pair of dirty underwear all week, so you shouldn't wear the same unwashed mask all week.

If you would wear the same pair of dirty underwear all week, please reassess your life.

Getting your collection of cloth face masks as soon as possible should be a high priority as well. Melbourne is experiencing a surge in already high demand for face masks after Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced they will be mandatory in public in the city from 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday.

Victoria is currently under threat of a second wave of coronavirus, the state having confirmed 275 new cases since yesterday — a significant spike from May's high of 30 daily cases. Even so, Australia has managed to keep infections comparatively low with under 12,000 infections and 118 deaths — a fraction of the 3.5 million confirmed cases and 137,000 deaths in the U.S.

Some Australians are getting a little weird amidst the COVID-19 restrictions, though. Last week, a member of the ACT Policing COVID-19 Taskforce reminded people that, while nudity is perfectly acceptable within their own home, they might want to cover up when greeting visitors.

"I’d also particularly like to thank the people in isolation for the warm reception they’ve shown police, although some of them may need a reminder to put some clothes on before they open the door for a compliance check," said Detective Superintendent Jason Kennedy. "We did get a few surprises on the weekend."

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