Wearing Face Masks Can Reduce the Chances of Spreading Viruses
If you’re sick and need to be around others, properly wearing a mask can protect those around you.
Zeynep Tufekci, Jeremy Howard, and Trisha Greenhalgh at The Atlantic:
If you feel confused about whether people should wear masks and why and what kind, you’re not alone. COVID-19 is a novel disease and we’re learning new things about it every day. However, much of the confusion around masks stems from the conflation of two very different functions of masks.
Masks can be worn to protect the wearer from getting infected or masks can be worn to protect others from being infected by the wearer. Protecting the wearer is difficult: It requires medical-grade respirator masks, a proper fit, and careful putting on and taking off. But masks can also be worn to prevent transmission to others, and this is their most important use for society. If we lower the likelihood of one person’s infecting another, the impact is exponential, so even a small reduction in those odds results in a huge decrease in deaths. Luckily, blocking transmission outward at the source is much easier. It can be accomplished with something as simple as a cloth mask.
In addition to maintaining 6-feet (1.8 meters) between others and washing your hands frequently, using a simple cloth face mask is very effective at slowing the spread of viruses like COVID-19.
Recent studies show that a significant portion of individuals with COVID-19 lack symptoms (“asymptomatic”) and that even those who eventually develop symptoms (“pre-symptomatic”) can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms.
These silent spreaders can be limited if we all wear a face mask, wash our hands, and social distance ourselves.
Here are some ways masks can help those around you:
Masks reduce the spread of potentially infectious respiratory droplets.
A sneeze, cough, and even talking can spread droplets up to 6 feet (1.8 meters)!Wearing masks help create a safety culture.
When we all wear a mask in public our communities slowly begin to accept it as a new social norm and it helps to erase any stigmas.
Wearing masks is a visual indicator to others that you care about their well-being.
We are all on the same team and should show support for each other during these times.
There are good personal reasons for wearing masks, too:
Masks can be uncomfortable.
This is an excellent incentive to quickly finish any business you have in public and get back to the comfort and safety of your home.A mask is a barrier that stops your from touching your face.
We all have little ticks or habits like scratching our nose, biting our nails, licking our fingers to separate pages, etc. A mask is a good obstruction to keep your hands off your face.Masks can be a reminder to wash your hands.
Like Pavlov's dog, if you associate removing your mask with washing your hands, it’s easy to have top-notch hand hygiene.
Surgeon General, Dr. Jerome Adams, shares ways to create your own face covering in a few easy steps.
Cloth face covers or homemade masks are effective ways to to help slow the spread of COVID-19. There’s even ancillary research that shows wearing a nylon stocking or thin elastic headband over your mask greatly improves filtration.
Refrain from purchasing surgical masks and, especially, N95 respirators — they are likely excessive for the general public who will not be in a situation where they're exposed to aerosol of COVID-19, unlike nurses, doctors, healthcare workers, and other medical first responders.
Part of our new normal will mean wearing a mask or face-covering in public. Wearing a mask in public is just like holding a door open for someone, it's being kind and courteous, and it will be critical to Louisiana moving forward. #MaskUpLa #lagov #lalege pic.twitter.com/L3p1o1zZlM
— John Bel Edwards (@LouisianaGov) April 22, 2020
COVID-19 means adjusting to a new a normal, and that means wearing masks or face coverings anytime we're out in public. When you wear a mask, you are protecting those around you. When others wear a mask, they are protecting you.
Dos and Don’ts of Wearing a Face Mask
Masks or face coverings should be worn anytime in public when you are near others. When you wear a mask, you protect others, and when others wear a mask they protect you.
Wearing a face mask or covering is not a substitute for keeping a social distance of 6 feet (1.8 meters) or washing your hands.
Don't touch the front of your mask.
Don't wear your mask below your nose or where it only covers the tip of your nose.
Don't leave your chin exposed.
Don't wear your mask loosely with gaps on the sides or place the mask underneath your chin.
Do wear your mask so that it covers the bridge of your nose.
Do wear your mask so that it covers the bottom of your chin.
Do wear your mask tight enough that there are no gaps on the sides.
- Be sure to use the mask's ties/loops when adjusting or removing.
- Wash your hands before/after handling your mask.
- Wash your cloth masks daily.
- Completely remove your mask while eating.
What About Gloves?
The general public should not use gloves. Gloves can cause more harm than good and can give you a false sense of security — it’s an additional layer the virus can stick to, and you run the risk of cross contamination. Washing your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water provides better protection than gloves.
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