1Public Health Postgraduate, The Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
2Head of Department, The Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
3Vice-Chancellor, The Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
*Corresponding author email id: maanasarajagopal.95@gmail.com
Online published on 19 August, 2021.
With the rising trend of COVID-19 and the absence of successful pharmaceutical interventions, nationwide non-pharmaceutical initiatives have been focused on its control and prevention. The most powerful prevention methods made obligatory to break the chain of transmission include the concept of quarantine, social distancing, and the use of facemasks. The need to understand the use of facemask and its proper usage is important to control the disease. Objective: To assess the knowledge of people regarding facemask use and their mask-wearing behaviour during COVID-19 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Materials and Methods: We conducted a web-based survey using a self-developed validated questionnaire with 34 items among the non-medical general population between July-August 2020.
Our study included 126 participants of which 51% were wearing a mask due to its protecting role against COVID and as directed by the Government. With regard to the mask usage behaviour, 33% of them opined that the cover of the mask extended only to the mouth & chin (not nose) and 40% removed the mask while speaking/coughing/sneezing. Overall, 70% of the respondents had poor mask-wearing behaviour especially among those in the age group of 21–40.
This shows the need to promote awareness of good mask-wearing behaviour and its importance in the control of COVID 19.
COVID-19, Facemask, Mask-wearing behaviour, Knowledge, Awareness
