Canada’s top doctor now says homemade or fabric masks can be of some help if you have to leave the house.

Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam says while they are still looking into the science, a makeshift mask can add some extra protection.

“If you are in public transit and you cannot easily practice the two-metres [physical distancing], for example, then having that additional covering, like covering up your cough, I think is a good idea,” Tam says.

Federal health officials say to leave the medical masks to the professionals and practice physical distancing and good hand hygiene.

Meanwhile, after provinces like Ontario released their projections for how COVID-19 will progress from here, Tam says those numbers are not set in stone.

She reminds you they are estimates, and we can help lower the number of cases and deaths by following public health guidelines.

As of Sunday morning, there are more than 14,000 cases across Canada and 233 deaths from COVID-19.