EDITORIAL: While wearing a face covering or mask, be sure to wear it properly
Sep. 8—For those of you who wear a mask — and wear it correctly — while in public, around other people or when you're not able to social distance to help stem to spread of COVID-19, we thank you. Keep it up.
For those of you who wear a mask — incorrectly — while in public, around other people or when you're not able to social distance, let's fix that.
While we are out and about, we've seen people wearing masks in creative ways. Some wear their face covering like a chin strap on a football helmet. Others let the mask dangle from one ear. Lanyards have become a popular addition to a mask, as we've seen them completely on the lanyard and not on the wearer's face. Some people wear a mask so that it's only covering their mouth, or only covering their forehead, or only covering their neck — leaving their nose fully exposed.
A mask does little good if it's not snugly covering your nose and mouth.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises most people to wear a mask or face covering that goes completely over your nose and mouth "to help protect others in case you're infected with COVID but don't have symptoms." Studies have shown that face coverings can help reduce the spread of COVID.
Here are the most up-to-date CDC guidelines on masking:
—If you are not fully vaccinated and age 2 or older, you should wear a mask in indoor public places.
—In general, you do not need to wear a mask in outdoor settings. In areas with high numbers of COVID-19 cases, consider wearing a mask in crowded outdoor settings and for activities with close contact with others who are not fully vaccinated.
—People who have a condition or are taking medications that weaken their immune system may not be fully protected even if they are fully vaccinated. They should continue to take all precautions recommended for unvaccinated people, including wearing a well-fitted mask, until advised otherwise by their healthcare provider.
—If you are fully vaccinated, to maximize protection from the delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others, wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission.
The CDC shared the following guidelines on how to correctly wear your mask.
—Make sure your mask fits snugly against your face. Gaps can let air with respiratory droplets leak in and out around the edges of the mask
—Pick a mask with layers to keep your respiratory droplets in and others' out. A mask with layers will stop more respiratory droplets getting inside your mask or escaping from your mask if you are sick.
