It’s been a long, thorny path from January to November.
“There’s certainly been a lot of things we’ve needed to learn about COVID in the past months,” said Gordana Simeunovic, MD, an infectious disease specialist with Spectrum Health. “So much to learn.”
One of the most important things researchers have learned about this virus? That we need to keep our distance from other people, even if they look healthy.
“It most frequently spreads person to person,” Dr. Simeunovic said.
Sneezing, coughing, talking, singing and breathing produce respiratory droplets that transmit the virus.
Research tells us that coming within 6 feet of a person who has the virus puts you at the highest risk of infection because the droplets are most concentrated within that range. But keep in mind the droplets are present in lower concentrations beyond that distance and still drift in the air for some distance and time.
“When we understand how it spreads, we can understand where these recommendations are coming from,” Dr. Simeunovic said.
A mask is the best way to slow the spread of the virus—“particularly when used universally within a community setting,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Robert Redfield, MD, said.
In short, a mask helps keep you from spewing your respiratory droplets into the air.
“A mask substantially drops that down,” said Liam Sullivan, DO, a Spectrum Health infectious disease specialist. “You have a barrier there and those droplets are hitting that mask. It’s not 100% effective, but it’s much more effective than nothing.”
If the other person wears a mask and you also wear a mask?
“Now you have two barriers up,” Dr. Sullivan said.
Here’s what you can do to lower your risk of infection:
- Maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from others.
- Wear a mask.
- Frequently wash your hands.
- Avoid indoor visits to bars and restaurants. Order take-out instead.
- Stay away from crowds of people, even outdoors.
- Ventilate your home and workspace.
- Limit gatherings of people beyond your immediate household.
- Steer clear of those who aren’t wearing masks or those who wear inadequate protection.
- Don’t carpool with others, and if you must ride in a car with those outside your household, everyone should wear a mask.
Emerging research continues to support these recommendations. Quite simply, Dr. Simeunovic said, masks work.
“There are a lot of ongoing studies now,” Dr. Simeunovic said. “And there’s clear evidence that masks are helping.”
The side of the box literally says the mask will not protect against Covid-19. Please reconcile this as you do not specify what kind of mask – N95, surgical, bandana? Please be specific as to what masks help and site the double-blind, peer reviewed study that supports this article.
Hi Matt, Thank you for your question. Here are a couple of links to the CDC regarding mask use – https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html and https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/Novel_Coronavirus_Reports.html. And here are some from the World Health Organization, NIH and JAMA – https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-covid-19-masks; https://directorsblog.nih.gov/2020/11/03/face-coverings-could-save-130000-american-lives-by-march/; https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2772459?resultClick=1. Perhaps you’ll find them useful as you seek to understand more about the science behind how masks work. In the meantime, thank you for doing your part to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in our communities. Best, Cheryl
I read the article on the CDC site listed above. It says NOT to wear an N-95 mask. Why? Aren’t those the safest?
Hi Sue, I believe they’re trying to reserve most N95 masks for health care workers as there has been a PPE shortage during the pandemic. They’re also encouraging people not to wear the N95 masks with valves on them as that releases unfiltered air you’re breathing out into the environment, and doesn’t protect others from your respiratory droplets. Some people wear the N95s with cool flow valves, then put another mask over top of those so it serves both functions – protecting the person wearing the mask and the people around them. Hope this helps. 🙂
Thanks for the explanation. Sadly, the Muskegon area (west Michigan) is now a hotspot because President Trump had a SuperSpreader event here shortly before the election. Apparently few wore masks. I’ve been quarantining since March but now have two doctor appointments coming up (mammogram and dermatologist) and am afraid to go. I am so angry that more people won’t wear masks.