Seeing the break-out of COVID-19 infections and the effects of the pandemic have shown me the importance of still masking up wherever you go. COVID-19 spreads through respiratory droplets, and wearing a face mask can prevent you from inhaling these droplets.
Masks can help an individual from infecting someone else who is immunocompromised, which means they have an impaired immune system. It can also protect you from getting an infection. As someone who has had COVID, I have seen how much COVID can impact your body and how deadly it can be. Taking precautions is important and crucial for your health.
With a lack of national protocol around when and where to wear a face mask, it’s not abnormal to be shamed for wearing one or be frustrated when others don’t. Some individuals do not like to be forced to do things, especially by the government, but scientists have proven that taking this extra precaution helps to significantly curb the spread of COVID-109. According to professor Purvik Parikh from NYU Grossman School of medicine, “surgical masks and cloth coverings can reduce viral transmission by 70% if everyone wears them and wears them correctly over their nose and mouth”. Though there is no national mandate on mask-wearing, some do occur on a state-by-state basis. States with mask requirements, like New York and New Jersey, continue to see new infections decline, even amid mass protests.
We can help reduce COVID rates and try to go back to the normal routine of life by taking this action. While we can’t quantify how effective it is to wear a mask, we know it offers some protection, while not wearing one provides none. In short, we are all at the lowest risk to get COVID-19 when everyone wears a mask, so mask up!