But knotting the loops and tucking in the sides of the medical mask reduced exposure by nearly 65 percent. One study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that a standard surgical mask only protected the wearer from about 7.5 percent of the particles generated by a simulated cough. And a Tennessee study found that communities with mask mandates had lower hospitalization rates than areas where masks weren’t required.īut the bottom line of all the studies is that a mask reduces the potential exposure of the person wearing it. During a hotel outbreak in Switzerland, for instance, several employees and a guest who tested positive for the coronavirus were wearing only face shields (with no masks) those who wore masks were not infected. The amount of protection depends on the quality of the mask and how well it fits. And when fewer viral particles are floating around the room, the masks others are wearing would likely block those that have escaped.īut there is also plenty of evidence showing that masks protect the wearer even when others around them are mask-free. That’s because when an infected person wears a mask, a large percentage of their exhaled infectious particles are trapped, stopping viral spread at the source. It’s true that masks work best when everyone in the room is wearing one.
If I’m the only person wearing a mask in a store or other indoor location, am I really protected from infection?
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