MASK IT UP

I am seeing some pretty dangerous and disturbing misinformation floating around. Ha! Wait….I’ve been seeing this for ages. I don’t know if you know how frustrating it is to be a scientist and then see people you know and love post some snake oil remedy in the name of ‘science’ or support sharing blatant misinformation about masks and vaccines. It seriously at times makes my eye twitch. I’ve been trying to ignore it, but I have family members who could very well die if they contract COVID. So here’s my Public Safety Announcement for today.

Today we are talking about masks.

This page on the CDC’s website about masks and types of masks is the most informative resource on types of masks and effectiveness. Recently, Dr. Fauci recently said in an interview that doubling up on masks was an even more effective way to prevent the spread of the virus. I am going to straight up tell you that in the beginning of this pandemic, the government fucked up with the whole should we or should we not wear a mask situation. They were not clear in the beginning and then when the science was clear, we lacked leadership in an administration to enforce wearing masks. If you carefully read the CDC mask guidelines, you will see that not all masks are created equal. Most of the masks that we have been wearing are the kind that will keep you from passing the virus to someone else. Surgical masks and M95 masks filter air both ways, protecting you from getting it and protecting others from you. The problem with this is that the demand for surgical and M95 masks is super high because these masks are reserved for medical staff. Medical staff who are currently overwhelmed with COVID patients. So, doubling up on masks is better than taking a mask away from an ICU nurse. I will gladly wear two masks if this means that my friends like Stephanie and Traci will have the masks (and other ppe) they need while doing their jobs of delivering babies and fixing broken people.

Something else I want you to notice from that CDC link is near the bottom of the page, under the header of “Recent Studies”. That is a continually growing list of peer reviewed scientific papers on studies performed around the effectiveness of masks. I say ‘continually growing’ because science is not stagnant. We are making new discoveries every day and we must adapt our guidelines to meet those discoveries. Something that has not changed is that you can be asymptomatic and still be carrying the COVID virus. That means you can pass that virus on to someone else. When I see people disregarding the science behind the reasons for wearing a mask, I see a person who doesn’t care about the people around them. I see a person so self centered that they don’t care that they are putting the lives of their own family and friends in jeopardy. The newest variant of the COVID virus is 30-70% more contagious than the original strain. Containing the spread of the virus is crucial and simple.

Wear an appropriate mask.

Social distance.

Wash your hands.