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Why should you wear a mask?

By Julia Chaly '24



I have lived in NYC for all 14 years of my life. Like many city kids, I’ve had those moments where I switch sidewalks because I feel unsettled by something: a narrow ditch on the cobblestone, melted snow that looks deceptively shallow, or wet cement. Now, I swerve my course away from the “non-mask wearer”: The potentially deadly person whose mouth and nose are visible.

Before 2020, if I had seen a New Yorker wearing a mask, my reaction would have been the opposite. I would have veered away from someone wearing a mask because it would have seemed like a sign of illness. When COVID struck at the beginning February, my thoughts shifted slightly; when I saw someone wearing a mask, I thought they were being cautious. By May or June, I saw mask-wearers as being safe and taking precautionary measures. Now, if I see someone wearing a mask, I think of the person as courteous, kind, and smart. Wearing a mask can not only save your life, but helps protect others around you as well.


Dr. Robert R. Redfield, Director of the CDC, agrees: “We are not defenseless against COVID-19,” he declared. “Cloth face coverings are one of the most powerful weapons we have to slow and stop the spread of the virus – particularly when used universally within a community setting. They help to slow the spread. All Americans have a responsibility to protect themselves, their families, and their communities.” As COVID rampages throughout our city and communities take hits, wearing a mask can help soften that blow by enclosing the virus in a “surgical capsule” of sorts.


Additionally, wearing masks has been proven to safeguard against it. For instance, data in a Missouri case study showed that masks can effectively stop the spread of COVID-19. Immediately after the White House Coronavirus Task Force and CDC advised Americans to wear face coverings, an investigation focusing on two hair stylists began. They were both infected with COVID-19, but their salon followed local ordinance requiring cloth face coverings for all employees and patrons. The investigators found that none of the stylists’ 139 clients or secondary contacts became ill. If the people in the salon had not been wearing their masks, their chances of falling ill — thereby putting everyone they had come in contact with in risk — would have been much greater. We have to keep in mind that this data could have slight errors, since not all subjects were tested, however, it does present us with fairly accurate and convincing data that shows that wearing a mask could overall benefit indoor safety.


The global discussion about masks exists in our own school as well. Aerial Revivo ‘24 says, “In my opinion you should wear a mask because it keeps you and others around you safe. It is simple, easy to do, and protects others. It also allows you to enter stores, restaurants, and other public places without being denied service.” Masks demonstrate a certain level of courtesy and respect to others around you. It is simple to do, and by wearing one, especially in public places like restaurants or stores, you decrease not only your own chances of getting COVID, but of the other people around you as well.


Wearing a mask can also have benefits that people don’t immediately think of when the word “surgical mask” is mentioned. “It’s like a herd effect,” says Dr. Brooks, a member of the CDC. “Increasing the proportion of people who wear masks by 15 percent could prevent the need for lockdowns and cut economic losses that may reach $1 trillion.” Due to COVID, the economy has taken a nosedive for the worse. Wearing masks can play a small part in bettering it and getting us back on the road to the “the new normal.”


Some people argue that cloth masks are ineffective in blocking out COVID, and people should only be wearing surgical masks. It is true that surgical masks are slightly more effective than cloth masks, but that shouldn’t be a barrier: surgical masks are distributed at schools, medical sites, and several other city points for no cost. If you need a surgical mask, pick one up from a school or medical site near you. That said, cloth masks aren’t as useless or ineffective as some people say. According to the CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO), “Cloth face masks are effective. They create a barrier between your mouth and nose and those around you. This makes it more difficult for the droplets that spread coronavirus through coughs, sneezes and talking to reach other people.” While wearing a cloth mask might not be equivalent to wearing a surgical mask, a cloth mask is far better than no mask.


As people of the city, people of the state, and people of the world, we must fight to protect against COVID as it continues to wound us. Wearing masks is one of the best ways to keep you safe, your family safe, the unknown people you pass on the street safe, and all of those around you safe as we continue to take COVID head on.

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