COVID-19: Odisha makes it mandatory for people to cover nose, mouth while venturing out of houses

Bhubaneswar, Apr 06: The Odisha government on Monday made it mandatory for people to cover their face and mouth with a mask or cloth while venturing out of their houses in view of the coronavirus outbreak.

The Revenue and Disaster Management Department issued an order in this regard which will come into effect from 7 am on April 9 till further orders. Noting that novel coronavirus is assuming a grave threat to health of the people, the order said that masks have been found to be useful in controlling and containing COVID- 19.

"The general public is directed to cover their mouth and nose with any mask while stepping out of house for any purpose. A handkerchief or any other piece of cloth with at least two layers can also be used for the purpose," it said.

Usefulness of masks in containing the disease can be seen from global experiences, the order said. Also, it is imperative to maintain strict social distancing and isolation measures to contain the spread of the disease, it said.

The district and municipal authorities have been directed to strictly ensure that there is no crowding and people use masks or cloths such as handkerchief or dupatta to cover their faces while stepping out of their houses, an official said.

Single-use masks should be properly disposed of after use and cloths used for the purpose should be cleaned with disinfectants after every use. Masks used by one person must not be used by another, he added.