A growing number of studies point to the mask as a powerful tool that can help control the spread of the coronavirus, so there are very good reasons to keep up the practice of wearing one in public.
The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped life as we know it. Many of us are staying home, avoiding people on the street and changing daily habits, like going to school or work, in ways we never imagined.
While we are changing old behaviors, there are new routines we need to adopt. First and foremost is the habit of wearing a mask or face covering whenever we are in a public space.
Experts say that masks are a key measure to reduce transmission and save lives. Wearing well-fitted ones should be used as part of a comprehensive ‘Do it all!’ approach including maintaining physical distancing, avoiding crowded, closed and close-contact settings, ensuring good ventilation of indoor spaces, cleaning hands regularly, and covering sneezes and coughs with a tissue of bent elbow.
The science is clear, masks are doing their job. One study found that face ones reduced the chances of COVID-19 infection by more than 80 percent. Another showed that even a crude cloth covering that is less than 100 percent protective against the virus could still significantly reduce the number of infections, and ultimately, the number of deaths.
New research suggest that a 10 percent increase in mask wearing could triple the odds that a community could control virus transmission. Simply by wearing it, you could help get the pandemic in check.
Universal mask use, at least 95 percent of people wearing them correctly and consistently in public, could prevent more deaths from COVID-19, according to another recent study. Researchers estimated that tens of thousands of lives could have been saved if people had achieved universal mask use.
The new COVID-19 vaccines could have a major impact on the pandemic, but it will take time. What’s more, while vaccines have proven highly effective in protecting people from developing COVID-19, we don’t yet know if the vaccines make people less likely to transmit the virus to others.
The vaccines prevent illness, but more research is needed to determine if the vaccines also prevent transmission. Experts are concerned that vaccinated people can still become infected without symptoms and then spread it to others who have not been vaccinated yet.
As the Pfizer vaccine was initially given to people ages 16 years and older only, most of the younger teens and children did not receive it yet. Keep wearing a mask until everyone has a chance to be vaccinated.
Masks aren’t just effective at helping prevent the spread of COVID-19. Research suggests that they could also help protect against other respiratory viruses, such as those that cause the common cold or flu. That’s why kids and adults with conditions that weaken the immune system have been wearing them in public for years.
The quickest way to open our economy is to control the virus. As more of our countries are already facilitating restrictions by removing some measures which were imposed at the end of November 2021, when the existence of the Omicron virus variant was first detected, wear a face mask can protect our businesses and avoid further lockdown.
The best way to keep the kids safe at school is to make sure the level of COVID-19 in your community is very low. Wear a mask to make sure your community can keep your kids healthy at school.
Masks lessen cases. The more of us wear them, the sooner we will be able to do things like visit friends, go to movies, travel where we want, and eat out safely. It’s a way to show your support for good times ahead.
The science on masks is clear, but there’s one more reason to wear one. Doing so shows that you and your family care about other people’s health and well-being, too. Make wearing a mask a normal part of being around other people. Follow the appropriate use, storage and cleaning or disposal of them are essential to make them as effective as possible; make sure that the mask covers both your nose, mouth and chin. Always clean your hands before you put your it on, as well as before and after you take it off, and after you touch it at any time.
