I was standing in line at Costco waiting to purchase my handful of groceries. The woman in front of me had a t-shirt sloppily tied around her mouth. The family behind me were all wearing surgical masks including their toddler-aged son. However, as I glanced around, I realized that the majority of customers weren’t wearing masks at all. It left me wondering who in the store was best protected from the virus: those with masks or those without.
Since the arrival of Covid-19 in the United States, both the government and the Center for Disease Control have given the public mixed signals about using face masks. The CDC initially did not recommend the use of face masks against Covid-19 as stated in a tweet from February 27th.
A little over a month later, the CDC changed their self-protection guidelines, recommending all individuals wear a cloth facemask when going out. However, President Donald Trump stated he would not be following the CDC’s recommendation.
“I just don’t want to wear one myself, it’s a recommendation,” Trump said during a Covid-19 briefing.
With such mixed signals given by the Trump administration regarding mask use, many have been left confused as to whether wearing a mask is necessary when going out to get essentials. Research shows that masks are indeed essential mainly to stop asymptomatic individuals from accidently spreading the virus.
Recent research published by the CDC points to the fact that masks should be worn to keep asymptomatic individuals from spreading the virus. The study showed that, of 76 patients infected with Covid-19, half of them were asymptomatic when tested. Those who are asymptomatic show little to no symptoms of the coronavirus, typically known for causing severe fever, cough, and fatigue.
According to a study from The Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness Journal, homemade masks are not as effective at protecting against small airborne viruses as surgical masks. However, cotton masks such as t-shirts or scarves can still protect against droplet transmission from an infected person to an uninfected person.
Droplet transmission is the transfer of viruses via small droplets around 5 to 10 micrometers, the size of a grain of pollen, that enter the body through the eyes, nose, or mouth. Covid-19 has found to only be transferred through droplets thus far unlike the common cold and influenza which spreads through airborne transmission of droplets smaller than 5 micrometers.
One of the most important steps in preventing droplet transmission is wearing the facemask properly as mishandling can lead to increased spread of the virus.
Dr. Syamak Ghiai, a periodontist, uses surgical face masks on a daily basis and has been trained in how to properly use face masks. He has also been using face masks when going out to get essentials during this pandemic.
“A common mistake people make is touching the front of the mask which can lead to contact with bacteria or viral particles,” Ghiai said. “When removing it, you don’t touch the front. You remove the mask from the ears. I’ve also seen many people continuing to adjust the mask after placing it which is also not sterile.”
Dr. Ghiai said that these same tips are just as applicable when wearing homemade masks as medical-grade masks.
As the CDC has stated, masks are pivotal in keeping asymptomatic individuals from spreading the virus. Many experts have warned the public that wearing face masks doesn’t necessarily guarantee protection from contracting the virus.
Pat Lord, a virologist at Wake Forest University, discourages use of face masks as a means of protection.
“I’m quite concerned about this idea that people are talking about making a fabric mask,” said Lord. “I think that will make a great false sense of security. Masks only protect you from spreading it to somebody else. It doesn’t protect you from the virus.”
Lord, instead, believes that social distancing alone will suffice in protecting individuals from getting the virus.
“Six feet away, the virus can’t go that far. It’s spread by droplets that are of pretty good size that can’t travel very far. As long as we’re distancing by six feet, I think that’s very appropriate,” Lord said.
Despite masks not being mandatory in many states, people all around the nation are opting to err on the side of caution and wear masks to protect themselves and those around them.
Meira Clark, a Wake Forest student currently at home in Maine, wears a mask every time she goes out to get essentials.
“I started wearing one right after I got home from spring break because I was worried that if I had been exposed, that I could expose other people,” Clark said. “Not wearing a mask would make me a bit more scared, for sure, even though there are a lot of other regulations when going out.”
