Although it is not a recommendation or order for the general population to use a mask when out and about, Health Minister, Daniel Salas, said about the use of a mask that “people who want to use them are free to use them.”
He indicated that the use of masks is a direct recommendation for people with any of the symptoms of the new coronavirus, who work with patients or people in recovery processes.
But in general, the population can use them if they want to.
Of course, Salas said there are several dangers with masks. One of the first is that they can give a “false sense of security”, so some people may “loosen” other measures to contain COVID-19, such as social distancing and not touching their faces without first washing their hands.
Another danger is that the masks can become sources of infection, or in the case of being homemade, these could have been made with unsuitable materials and that, really, do not represent any protection.