The Real Reason to Wear a Mask
Much of the confusion around masks stems from the conflation of two very different uses
By Zeynep Tufekci, Jeremy Howard, Trisha Greenhalgh
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 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.
A key transmission route of COVID-19 is via droplets that fly out of our mouths — that includes when we speak, not just when we cough or sneeze. A portion of these…
