Final answer:
Ice should be wrapped in a cloth or towel to protect the skin when applied to a damaged tissue for 20 minutes every two hours to reduce swelling and pain.
Step-by-step explanation:
An accurate statement about protecting a damaged tissue from further injury is that ice should be wrapped in a cloth or towel to avoid direct contact with the skin. Ice is commonly used to reduce swelling and pain by applying it for 20 minutes at a time every two hours, not continuously for hours as this could lead to skin damage.
The goal of initial treatment following tissue damage should always be protection, rest, ice, compression, and elevation to support the healing process and prevent additional injury.