3. Masks won’t guard you from viruses
Face masks aren’t fitted, so small viral particles can easily enter under and around them, eventually ending up in your respiratory system. “A traditional general face mask like you might use for construction in your house is not going to protect you against coronavirus or other respiratory infections,” says Dr. McGinty. “It’s not designed to filter those particles and you don’t get a tight seal around your face. Particles can come in on the sides and underneath and be inhaled and you can still get exposed.”
“The scientific basis showing that people in the community wearing surgical masks actually offers some benefit in terms of protection is scanty to non-existent,” says William Schaffner, MD, an infectious diseases specialist with Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. “If they really helped, wouldn’t the CDC recommend we all wear them during influenza season?”
