Doctors, leaders, celebrities, and even the timeless Bill Nye are all banging the drum, encouraging people to wear face masks during the coronavirus pandemic. That's because, based on current information, wearing a face mask is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of coronavirus, especially as parts of the country attempt to reopen and ease up on shelter-in-place guidelines. The Centers For Disease Control (CDC) first recommended wearing cloth face masks back in April, and the push for widespread use has only grown since.
Yet amidst all the recommendations and PSAs, sometimes we can forget the actual rationale behind face masks. It's important to remember why we wear them, both so we can educate each others and stay motivated to strap them on ourselves.
The thing to remember is that when you wear a face mask, it doesn't necessarily mean you're safe from the virus — but it's a very effective way to protect the people around you. As Stanford Health Care immunologist and infectious disease doctor Anne Liu, MD, phrased it, "Wearing a mask protects other people, and other people wearing masks protects you."
Here's why:
No one's saying it's fun to strap on a face mask every time you leave the house, particularly if you're an essential worker who's wearing one every day on the job. But right now, it can make a huge difference in terms of saving lives and getting the world back on track. "People should think of it as, 'I'm wearing a mask to show that I care about the people around me," said Dr. Liu, adding, "The only way we are going to be able to reduce physical distancing again is by using masks."
If you can't find any in stores, buy a cloth face mask online (here are 60-plus options) or make your own with this DIY hack.
POPSUGAR aims to give you the most accurate and up-to-date information about the coronavirus, but details and recommendations about this pandemic may have changed since publication. For the latest information on COVID-19, please check out resources from the WHO, CDC, and local public health departments.