In a bid to offer better protection to the citizens and encourage Covid-19 safety norms and wear masks, Temasek Holdings – CEO, Ho Ching had announced on July 7, 2021, that disposable medical-grade surgical masks and N95 masks will be distributed after the National Day as part of the upcoming Stay Prepared exercise.
As promised, the Temasek Foundation’s initiative is all set to distribute face masks to help prepare communities for emergencies.
The foundation will supply 50 medical-grade surgical masks and 25 N95 respirator masks to each household.
Singapore residents will be able to redeem these free masks between August 26 and September 26, 2021.
How To Redeem Free Masks?
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Residents will need their Singapore Power (SP) resident bill or account number in order to redeem the free face masks. They can also scan the SP Bill barcode via the SP App.
Do remember to take your own carry bags from home to get the free masks. And do a carry reusable cloth bag instead of plastic when you do so. All masks will come in standard adult sizes. There won’t be returns or exchanges for the masks due to hygiene reasons.
For more information, Singapore citizens can reach out on the hotline number – 1800-738-2000 – available between 9 am and 9 pm, excluding public holidays.
Collection Points For Masks
There are over 130 collection points across the island. This includes:
- 15 CapitaLand malls
- Select outlets of Sheng Siong, Prime Supermarket, Cold Storage, FairPrice Xtra and Giant
Citizens can also pre-queue digitally and be informed when it is their turn to collect the masks at the 11 malls. These places have a digital queue system that also allows residents to check the queue length at each collection point before heading down. This will prevent overcrowding at the collection points.
You can also log on to the Stayprepared website for more information.
When To Use The Different Face Masks?
With the Temasek Foundation distributing disposable medical-grade surgical masks and N95 masks, here’s when you use either of these.
- The medical-grade surgical masks offer the best filtration efficiency possible at 95 per cent. If you are showing symptoms of the flu, or a cough and cold, you should wear a surgical mask when visiting a doctor.
- Medical grade surgical masks are top grade surgical masks with a filtration efficiency of at least 95 per cent.
- Meanwhile, an N95 face mask should be worn during high-risk jobs especially those involved in healthcare or services that require you to interact with multiple people throughout the day.
- Even those who’ve tested positive with an Antigen Rapid Test (ART) kit should wear an N95 face mask when seeing a doctor.
How To Store Face Masks?
Make sure that you store the face masks in an airtight space away from the sunlight and in dry conditions. This helps to keep the mask’s filtration effectiveness intact when worn outside.
Singapore’s high humidity can also shorten the shelf life of the mask, which is all the more reason to store it properly.
How To Use A Face Mask?
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- Keep the mask in a sealed pack until use
- Wash your hands or use a sanitiser before wearing the mask
- Hold the mask by its straps and not the cloth cover
- Adjust the strap behind the ear loops and make sure the mask covers above the nose bridge and below the chin
- Keep the mask back in the sealed container when not in use
How To Wash A Reusable Face Mask?
Some N95 masks are reusable but you need to wash them properly to ensure they are effective when wear mask multiple times. Here’s how you wash a face mask.
- Wash the mask after every use
- Use cold water to wash the mask for two minutes
- Do not rub, scrub or twist the mask
- Use a mild soap with anti-bacterial properties to clean the mask
- Rinse with water, and drip dry in shade
News source: Mothership
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