COVID-19: Face Shields Must be used with Face Masks says NCDC

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has released an advisory on the use of Face Shields stating that there are no published studies on the effectiveness of face shields against COVID-19 in non-healthcare settings.

The NCDC therefore advised that Face Shields should be used with appropriate Face Masks.

“Face masks are very important in helping to limit the spread of COVID-19, especially in situations where physical distancing may be difficult, such as on public transportation, markets and in areas where there is a significant amount of community transmission.  For effective protection, face shields are used in combination with an appropriate face mask in healthcare settings.  There is currently limited to no evidence on the effectiveness of face shields to prevent COVID-19 when used alone by the general public in nonhealthcare settings”, the Centre said in its advisory.

The advisory further revealed that “There is currently no guidance provided by the WHO or other relevant public health authority that recommends the use of face shields in non-healthcare settings to prevent COVID-19”.

“Face shields are generally used in health care settings by medical professionals to provide barrier protection to the facial area, including the eyes, nose and lips. Even in healthcare settings, face shields are not meant to function as primary respiratory protection to prevent infection. Face shields are used in combination with surgical mask or N95 mask by health workers for maximum protection during invasive procedures such as intubation.   There are no published studies on the effectiveness of face shields against COVID-19 in non-healthcare settings”.  

Public Health Advisory on Use of Face Shield with Face Masks (2)