The wearing of face masks in African countries under the COVID-19 crisis: luxury or necessity?

The unforeseeable global crisis of the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused almost all affected countries to adopt a range of protective measures as recommended by the World Health Organization. However, the speed, type and level of adoption of these protective measures have been remarkably different. Social distancing and quarantine were the main measures adopted in addition to observing basic hygiene. Based on the available evidences, WHO continues to recommend wearing of face masks for healthcare workers and for those people caring for COVID-19 patients. However, some countries and organisations have recommended, and some have even made it mandatory, for their citizens to wear face masks. Particularly in low- and middle-income countries, protecting by wearing face masks is viewed as an affordable yet proactive preventive measure to avoid and slow down viral spread based on the experience of other affected countries. However, the wearing of face masks is controversial due to shortages in their stocks and uncertainty around the quality of masks, as well as their efficiency as a protective mechanism. Masks should be used based on appropriate use and management guidelines. This paper discusses the wearing of face masks from the perspective of low- and middle-income countries, particularly in Africa; and then makes some recommendations that will greatly inform policy makers on epidemic mitigation strategies throughout the African continent.