The CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public — here are 14 retail brands now making face masks you can buy online

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• The CDC now recommends wearing a cloth face cover in public to prevent community transmission of COVID-19 — wearing one is mandatory in cities such as New York and San Francisco.
• Medical workers need surgical masks and N95 respirators, so the general public should use cloth face coverings, either by buying them or making them at home.
• Cloth face coverings mostly help protect other people from your germs, which is especially important since a significant portion of people can transmit the virus while being asymptomatic or presymptomatic.
• Retailers such as Reformation and Caraa have repurposed their production facilities to make non-medical grade masks for the public. You can find a shoppable list of 14 brands making masks below.
• See more: A running list of brands giving back during the coronavirus pandemic

After learning that a significant portion of people can transmit the novel coronavirus without knowing they're infected — either because they lack symptoms, or because their symptoms haven't developed yet — the CDC has recommended the use of cloth face coverings in public settings to prevent community transmission.

Where and when to wear a face mask in public

You should wear a cloth face covering in public settings where social distancing measures are difficult to maintain, like grocery stores, transit stations, and pharmacies — and especially in areas with significant community-based transmission. If you live in cities such as New York and San Francisco, face coverings are mandatory if you're going out in public. Exceptions to the rule are children under the age of two, and anyone who has trouble breathing or is otherwise unable to remove a mask without assistance.

Where to buy a face mask

Some retailers are repurposing their production facilities to manufacture simple cloth face masks available for purchase by the general public. You'll find 14 brands selling face masks you can buy or pre-order now below.

Most of the masks are pretty similar, with the main difference being the shipping date and features like a pocket for a filter and whether they tie in the back or loop around the ears. You'll want to wash them before wearing them yourself.

It's also worth mentioning there are often long wait times and likely no refunds or returns.

How to make your own face mask at home

If you can't buy a cloth mask or don't want to wait for the estimated shipping date, you can make one at home using household items, like a bandana and a coffee filter. You can also find an ASL Video Series: Easy DIY Cloth Face Covering on YouTube.

The CDC wants the general public to wear cloth face coverings — not surgical masks or N95 respirators.

The CDC is advising the general public to use cloth face coverings, but that doesn't mean surgical masks or N95 respirators. Critical supplies should be reserved for those who need them most, such as healthcare workers. Cloth face coverings also don't replace other CDC guidelines; it's still essential to maintain 6 feet of social distancing.

Non-medical grade masks are mostly about protecting other people from your germs, but an efficient one will help you decrease your own risk.

Wearing face masks in public is firstly about social responsibility — protecting others from your germs — more than protecting you from them. A simple, imperfectly fitted mask can be very effective at trapping droplets from your coughs and sneezes, a recent study showed. Even if you don't feel sick, you could easily be one of the estimated 25% of contagious people with coronavirus who feel completely fine. "If everyone wears a mask when in public, the ones who have illness in them, whether symptomatic or not, will not contaminate the environment," Chris Ziebell, an emergency medical director for US Acute Care Solutions, told Business Insider.

But, if you properly wear a mask with decent filtration and two layers of a heavy material (including cotton), you can decrease your own risk. Although it's most important for your own safety to practice social distancing, wash your hands, and avoid touching your face.

14 retailers now making cloth face masks you can buy online:Read the original article on Insider