Face Masks Really Do Matter

Between the anti-mask community and the CDC urging people to wear face masks, the rift is never-ending. But what exactly is the truth? Is a certain type of mask enough to keep the virus at bay? Does a face covering really do what experts are trying to say? And are the anti-maskers protesting for the better with their stance?

It can be too complicated to figure all of it out, especially with Coronavirus still at large. Starting from the end of 2019, the virus has killed 5.01M people worldwide. In the US alone, 747K individuals have lost their lives to this deadly virus (at the time of writing this blog). And not all of them were anti-maskers. But the majority lay in people who didn’t believe that a single piece of face coverer could save them. That being said, some people are exempted from wearing a mask.

Read Also: How to Deal with People Who Don’t Wear Face Breathers?

Who Is Exempted from Wearing a Mask?

1. People with Asthma, COPD, or lung diseases.
2. Children under the age of 5.
3. Elderly people with cognitive impairment.
4. Individuals who’ve undergone facial surgery(s).

Now that we’ve put aside the exempted people, let’s focus on why it’s important for people who should wear masks.

Why Wear a Mask?

The director of CDC, Robert Redfield, believes that ‘we can bring the virus under control if we can get the people to start wearing masks right now.’ This statement followed universal research which proved that using disposable masks in public places presents multiple advantages. Some of these are:

Asymptomatic Spread Prevention

Researches have proved that around 50% of transmission occurs before Covid-19 shows its symptoms in an individual. That means you can be a possible carrier without even knowing because you won’t have undergone a diagnostic test. Wearing a face mask can work as a shield to prevent the asymptomatic spread and stop the cycle.

Note: Just any face breather won’t work. CDC and FDA recommend using N95 respirators to achieve the best protection from the virus.

Viral Transmission Reduction

Simply wearing a mask is not enough. For your protective gear to be effective, you need to wear it properly. Proper coverage involves covering the mouth and nose with a tight seal. In turn, this can deliver the desired result.

It’s known that properly covering your face with a respirator can reduce viral transmission up to 70%. However, there are some preliminaries to ensure you’re following the guidelines. These include:

• Washing your hands with soap or water or using a hand sanitizer.
• Avoiding touching your face or other contaminated surfaces.
• Practicing social distancing.

Economy Recovery & Sustainability

Let’s face it – lockdowns favor no one, not even the government. But sometimes, drastic measures become necessary. That’s why the US government had to enforce the shutdown. The impact we saw was in the shape of a worsening economy. In fact, the US economy saw a 5% GDP reduction due to the coronavirus spike.

When the communities reopened, the majority of the states made it mandatory to wear a face mask in public. This appeared as forcing people to do something that seemingly didn’t act in their personal favor initially. Still, one step towards reducing the virus spread is one step towards saving your economy.

Self-Protection

If not for anything, face masks protect you from contracting the virus. Taking our example of asymptomatic spread from above, imagine you’re walking around in public without a mask. While you’re not a carrier, you also don’t know if the people walking around you don’t carry the virus.

Even if they don’t exhibit any symptoms, they can still transfer the virus to you too, and you to the next one, and so on. The cycle will continue. But not if you grasp this fact: face masks really do matter.

Social Distance Reminder for the General Public

There’s no denying that it will be a long time before we wave the virus goodbye. But it won’t be without collective efforts.

The CDC, FDA, US government, and states can only do so much to introduce laws and take action. But a heavy part of the responsibility lies on the public – you. As long as you’re doing your part in preventing the virus from getting out of hand, that’s all that matters. And that means becoming a gentle but clear-as-day reminder of the dangers we all face.

You can use face masks to portray your stance. As a result, it can serve to display the message of social distancing wherever you go.

The Bottom Line

Prevention is better than cure. And when it’s about fighting the virus, a combination of three can work wonders: handwashing, social distancing, and mask-wearing. So, implement all the actions that are in your hands, and decide where you want to be led: towards the fiery pits of getting infected with the virus or a virus-free world that we all long for.