“We are not out of danger. We have not reached the end of the pandemic,” said CNN medical analyst Dr. Leana Wen. “It is counterproductive and really infuriating for these governors to treat this as if the pandemic is over. It is not true.”
“We may be on the precipice of a fourth wave and we have a way to avoid it by maintaining our precautions for a while longer,” she said.
Here are five reasons why experts say you should wear a face mask, even if your condition doesn’t require it:
Masks save lives
The science is clear: wearing masks saves lives.
In counties that require masks, Covid-19’s case and death rates decrease, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Masking mandates have been associated with a 0.7 percentage point reduction in daily Covid-19 death rates up to 20 days after implementation and decreases of up to 1.9 percentage points up to 100 days later, according to new research published on Friday by the CDC.
“Masks are a two-way street. The masks protect you and me ”, preventing the spread of droplets and aerosols that may contain the virus, says the CDC in its mask guide.
“There are a lot of people who take the common sense approach,” he told CNN. “If you are talking about a physical barrier – and as the CDC recommends that you want at least two layers inside the mask as a physical barrier – and you feel that maybe more physical barrier would be better, there is nothing wrong with people using it two masks. I often use two masks myself. “
Placing a cloth mask over a medical procedure mask, such as a blue disposable surgical mask, can block 92.5% of the potentially infectious particles from escaping, creating a tighter fit and eliminating the leak, the researchers said.
Masks can help protect pandemic gains
The United States has made a lot of progress in the fight against Covid-19, including the development of safety protocols, improved treatment plans and vaccines.
But abandoning masks can now reverse those gains, health experts warn.
“I am really concerned about reports that more states are reversing the exact public health measures that we recommend to protect people at Covid-19,” she said. “Please remain firm in your conviction. Continue to wear your tight-fitting mask and take the other public health prevention actions that we know will work.”
Masks protect even the vaccinated
Health experts say that vaccinated people should continue to wear face masks, for their protection and the safety of others.
None of the three authorized vaccines – Pfizer-BioNtech, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson – is 100% effective. Continuing to wear a face mask after receiving the vaccine can provide additional personal protection.
It can also help prevent the spread of Covid-19. That’s because vaccines are effective in preventing symptomatic and serious illnesses. But it is not clear whether they prevent people from becoming asymptomatic carriers and spreading it to others.
“It is estimated that about 70% of Americans should be vaccinated before we get collective immunity through vaccination. This is the point at which enough people have immune protection so that the virus does not spread any more,” she said. . “This means that about 230 million Americans are expected to receive the vaccine.”
Masks are a sign of respect
In states without mask rules, people who wear them may feel out of place.
They should continue to use them anyway, health officials say, not as a political statement, but as a sign of respect for vulnerable members of the community.
Dr. Joshua Barocas, an infectious disease physician at Boston Medical Center, expressed his opinion.
“I think that in addition to simple viral transmission, wearing a mask may just be a symbol,” he said. “It can show people that you are committed to the cause, that you are committed to fighting Covid-19 as a community … committed to protecting the lives of others, your children and their families … committed on having a strong economy will open up when we are fully ready. “
The masks will help the US get back to normal
The pandemic has cut family members, friends, work, school, religious services and more.
“People say, ‘When will everything be back to normal and I won’t have to wear my mask anymore?'” Said Wen. “This is not the right way to think about it. We want our business to come back, we want our churches to be open for personal worship and our schools open for personal learning. We need masks to do that.”
Wen said it all starts with our mindset. The faster we realize that the masks do not limit, but allow us to return to normal, the faster we will get there.
She said that users and non-users of masks ultimately want the same thing: for the country to return to normal.
“We are so close to the finish line and this is the most tragic part of everything. If you just hold on a little longer, we will end this pandemic, ”she said.
CNN’s Theresa Waldrop contributed to this report.