The Chief Medical Officer says it's important people don't feel invincible if they wear a face mask.
A new campaign's being launched next week to get more of us to use them in shops and on public transport.
A new study in Germany's suggested making them mandatory could slow the spread of coronavirus by as much as 40 per cent.
They're not going to be made compulsory here - and Dr Tony Holohan says a face mask alone won't protect people.
He also said that 'only a minority of people' are currently following this advice:
"One of things we do have concern about is that if people feel if they wear a mask, it's a little bit like a hurling helmet: are you going to put yourself in more danger when you have a helmet on because you feel a little bit more invincible.
"It's really important people don't feel that: you wear the mask as an added measure to all of the other things we think are important. Be careful about symptoms, early response to the GPS and handwashing are really important."
