In July 2020, Relief Experts Association conducted a public survey on the use of face masks in the context of COVID-19 in NW Syria. The survey aimed at providing valuable information from northwest Syria on how people look at face masks as a preventive measure against COVID-19, and what practices they are adhering to in this regard. The survey was done through face-to-face interviews with 767 randomly selected individuals from 9 districts across northwest Syria.
The survey concluded that:
1. As the knowledge among survey participants about face masks was inadequate, increasing the public awareness-raising campaigns and activities promoting the proper use of non-medical (fabric) face masks by the community could be helpful during this pandemic. The campaign may have more focus on people (particularly women) above 50 years of age due to the higher gaps in their knowledge compared to the below 50. In many areas, women above 50 showed lower levels of knowledge compared to men, while in the Syrian context, their role in raising children is more important.
2. Since the most common reason for participants’ who didn’t wear face masks outside their homes was inability to afford buying one, providing face masks and distributing them to the population for free is expected to increase the practice significantly, especially that people seem to have a positive attitude towards wearing them. This can be combined with a campaign to educate the population on making home-made facemasks to overcome supply limitations.
3. Wearing a Niqab by Muslim women in NW Syria is a common practice and perceived by many participants as an alternative to face masks, although there is no proof that niqabs are effective as face masks. Specific guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that cloth masks must fit “snugly” on the sides of the face, but not all niqabs are tight-fitting. The resources of Corona Awareness Team of NW Syria don’t currently include any specific instructions about niqabs, although they include a broader document named “Public advisory on the use of fabric facemasks”, therefore a clear set of guidelines should be developed for the use of niqabs as facemasks and included in CAT NW Syria resources.
4. In some areas, female participants reported less adherence to optimal practices or lower levels of knowledge. This may not necessarily translate into better practices applied by male respondents, but could also be associated with social norms and the desire to report self-adherence to best practices. These results are best interpreted when practices are observed in daily life.
5. The stigma around wearing face masks in public seem to be preventing a significant part of the population in NWS from wearing face masks, and could even be a reason for not following other preventive measures. More effort by educational campaigns and the media can be dedicated to reducing this stigma and this can be supported by public figures who present themselves wearing masks and following preventive precautions.
The full report is available here: