How Your Mask Is Protecting You.
Ritz Aguspina
| October 16, 2023
As COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc on healthcare systems and economies around the world, face masks are becoming an absolute must-have for everyone. While advice surrounding the wearing of masks was a little uncertain in the early days of the pandemic, the scientific consensus is now firmly in favour of masking up in community settings.
What protections do masks offer?
The primary benefit of wearing a mask is that it protects people around you. While there is some evidence that wearing a face-covering offers some protection to the wearer, the most compelling studies have demonstrated the ways in which people infected with respiratory diseases such as COVID-19 can avoid passing the infection on to others by masking up. According to a recent study comparing the spread of COVID-19 before and after mandatory mask laws were introduced in 15 US states, the daily growth rate of infection slowed by two percentage points within three weeks of mask-wearing becoming compulsory. Another piece of research looking into coronavirus death rates across 198 countries found that places with high rates of mask adoption had markedly lower death rates.
Remember that reducing transmission is a community effort
The more people that wear masks, the slower COVID-19 is likely to spread. Researchers have run fascinating simulations predicting that mask uptake of around 80% of the population would be more effective at preventing disease spread than a restrictive lockdown. If you have experienced a full lockdown, you will know how difficult it can be to face such harsh restrictions. By wearing a mask whenever you enter a restaurant or shop, get on public transport, or come into close contact with other people, you can do your bit to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and the introduction of more restrictions on your liberties and those of your neighbours.
Always remember that you may be infected
One of the reasons that COVID-19 managed to spread so fast is that a high proportion of cases are asymptomatic. What’s more, the virus can be transmitted by people before they start showing symptoms. In this way, you may present a risk to others even if you feel well, something you can mitigate by wearing a mask.
