I work at Stacy’s Compounding Pharmacy, in Atlanta, and since the pandemic struck we get customers occasionally coming in telling us that the CDC has said that masks do no good for stopping Covid-19.
I decided to do a little research and find out for myself. The first thing I did was ask our pharmacist, Kelly Howard. She has a friend working with Covid at the CDC and she says that masks were highly recommended.
Their website wants people to wear masks in public settings, around people not in your own household, especially when social distancing is not possible. The CDC goes on the say that they should not be worn by children under two years old,
people that may have trouble breathing, unconscious, incapacitated or unable to remove their own mask. They also agree with common sense saying that your mask acts as a barrier to prevent your respiratory droplets, which carry the virus, from traveling through the air and onto other people or surfaces. Wearing a mask with an exhalation valve or vent defeats the purpose, allowing droplets to escape into the air.
You should certainly wear a mask if you feel sick but you may have the virus and not even be aware. Wearing it may also prevent droplets, in the air, from being inhaled through your mouth or nose. This brings up the point, that you need to wear the mask correctly, covering your mouth and your nose!
Disposable surgical masks and cloth masks are both excellent, but the latter should be washed frequently, soap and water is fine. When removing or adjusting the mask you should never touch the front, just the strings that go over your ears. The final answer, to the initial question – should you wear a mask – is absolutely YES!
For more information read the CDC and Mayo Clinic guidelines.
Great post! We know from LOTS of research now that masks DO stop the spread – #maskup