Should you wear a mask in public? The narrative is shifting.

[Mike 03]

The Philadelphia Inquirer
Updated: March 30, 2020- 3:12 PM

One month ago, when just 57 people in the United States had tested positive for the coronavirus, the surgeon general tweeted in all caps: “STOP BUYING MASKS!”

Federal officials have stood by that guidance: Face masks are not effective in preventing the general public from getting the coronavirus, and there’s no reason for people who aren’t health-care workers or who don’t have the virus to wear them, especially as medical professionals face a mass shortage of protective equipment.

Now, more than 150,000 Americans have tested positive for the coronavirus. And while experts still say people shouldn’t try to purchase medical-grade masks, the narrative on whether everyone should wear a homemade mask or facial covering when they’re out in public is shifting.

Over the last several days, experts, officials, and some politicians have pushed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to revise its official guidance, pointing to other countries — including several nations in Asia, as well as the Czech Republic — that have either required masks or implemented mask-wearing campaigns and have seen some success in controlling the spread of the virus.

Among the officials pushing the CDC to update its guidance is Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey, a Republican who released a video publicly supporting a social media campaign called #Masks4All, which encourages Americans to make homemade masks to wear when they must leave home for essentials. Toomey appears to be the only member of Congress to have so explicitly endorsed the campaign.

Over the weekend, Toomey pushed the issue in a call with Jay Butler, CDC deputy director for infectious diseases, according to Toomey spokesperson Steve Kelly. The CDC, he said, made no commitment to change its guidance. The CDC didn’t respond to a request for comment Monday.

Read more: https://www.inquirer.com/health/coronavirus/coronavirus-masks-homemade-in-public-pat-toomey-cdc-20200330.html

[tinrobot]

1. I agree masks could help, but you have to be careful with making assumptions.

I've seen people holding up Asian countries such as South Korea as shining examples of mask use.

Those countries wore masks, sure, but they also did everything right from a healthcare standpoint -- comprehensive testing, locked down early, and followed up with those tested. They also had good healthcare systems that were prepared for a pandemic. Masks were just a small part of the equation.

So, if you want to wear a mask - great. It might help, but it's not going to solve everything.