Should you wear a mask in the time of COVID-19?

Masks for the general public have turned out to be a controversial topic during this time of pandemic. Time wrote a good piece on the two schools of thought that have emerged. In Asia, they are highly encouraged. In fact, Asians have been wearing masks since before this pandemic due to past experiences with other epidemics like SARS. In the United States, wearing masks can even be a social stigma. Even the Surgeon General posted a tweet discouraging them, although the reasoning behind it seems self-contradictory. Ironically, both cultures assert positions out of a sense of civic duty: Asians want to prevent the spread with a mask, while Americans want to make sure health-care workers have the masks they need.

So, should you wear a mask? First, let us start with the facts.

1. Is there a shortage of masks in the U.S.? Yes, they are in short supply.
2. Do they work? If used correctly, then yes. That means having a good seal around the edges, and not touching your face often. Respirator masks are designed to seal well, while surgical masks cannot. Surgical masks are designed to keep fluids within a person, not the other way around.
3. Medical workers need to switch out their masks regularly because they work in high-risk settings. But a mask worn by someone in the general public won’t get the same exposure, and will not need to switch out their masks often, if at all.
4. There are non-reusable respirator masks available on the market. These are masks that medical professionals do not use because of #3, but are available to everyone else.

Given these facts, I disagree with the U.S. Surgeon General’s tweet because it gives an oversimplified answer to a complex question (“but it’s Twitter” is not an excuse). I find that it divides, misleads and confuses more than it informs. Here are my recommendations:

1. Yes, government should be prioritizing mask supply for medical workers over the general public. Most people have other tools to protect themselves, the most powerful simply being stay away from others as much as you can.
2. The public should then buy either surgical masks, which are easily mass-produced, or the non-reusable/semi-resuable types that medical professionals would not buy anyway.
3. If you are going to wear a mask, wear it right. Edges sealed, and don’t keep adjusting it.
4. No hoarding! The public does not need as many masks as a nurse would. In fact, there are ways to clean a mask. I personally have one filter mask that I have had for over a year. I got it because I am a cyclist and sometimes I bike through smoggy areas. I can wash with with soapy water, then let dry by a window so that the sunlight’s UV can help break up pathogens.

In times like this, it is very important to isolate ourselves from fear and to stay grounded on objective decision-making. We all have a part to play as the nature of contagion makes our decisions even more influential on others. Don’t panic. Be smart. Be strong.