Should You Wear A Mask To Protect From The Coronavirus? | The 11th Hour | MSNBC

everyone should wear a mask I live in s.korea wearing a mask is the key

Its just common sense. If you wear mask and if you sneeze or cough, you protect other people around you by not spreading droplets all over. Why is this even a question, go wear mask.

As a healthcare worker with over 21 years experience working with contaminated and immune compromised patients ( TB, MRSA, VRE ) and sitting through countless classes on bio warfare and medical decontamination as decon chief of my unit in the Air Force, here are my thoughts:
The only reason healthcare professionals on tv won't recommend wearing masks is that it would take away from healthcare providers safety. Don't let politicians and doctors on TV confuse you stating that some types of masks versions will not work, i.e. ( true some types are not as effective)
Bottom line: wearing a mask with a filter will largely reduce your risk of catching the Virus that it would be dumb not to.
The greater the mask, the more efficient it is. Starting with Military Gas Mask, N95 mask, surgical mask, etc.- less efficient as you descend the list before you get to a scarf.
The one reason for not recommending good masks is it will take away from doctors and nurses who don't have them.
The -only- reason for not wearing a mask yourself :
you don't have one

Pls wear face mask! Govt told you not to or wear something else, because masks stock had been reserved for doctors and nurses. However, if you cannot get one, even hand made cloth mask can reduce the chance to be exposed to the virus. There are a lot of video in youtube for how to make it. Face mask is the basic requirement in HK, Taiwan, China, Korea. Without a facemask, you are not allow to enter most of the buildings. Imagine, the respiratory droplets can ​fly 6 feets or more; without a facemask, how can you prevent it land on your noses and mouth! Only by wash hands?! Ridiculous!

Wear mask!!!!!my god! Still discussing those BS! So why medical people wear mask at hospital!so simple!

How can this be still an issue ?
My country ( SK) we do have different level of the Mask.
KF80 , F94 ,KF99 ( KF = Korean Filter)
KF80 / Block the particle size: 0.6㎛ - Block rate 80% +
KF94 / Block the particle size : 0.4 ㎛ - Block rate : 94% +
KF99 / Block the particle size 0.4㎛ - Block rate : 99% +
N95/ Block the particle size 0.3㎛ - Block rate : 99% +
It seems that the US Gov. or CDC keep saying that those N95 should go to the healthcare worker.
As you can see , We Koreans do buy the KF80 or KF 94 under the Gov' control and the KF99 is not selling on the drug store for the citizen.
It is only supply to the healthcare workers in SK.
I think the U.S Gov, just need to provide the information like this to the people and control the mask supply as we do in SK.
So, people in the USA may not fall into another panic buying for the mask and the healthcare workers also can have the mask they need.

still debating over masks and whether or not we should wear it? sigh

“Protect yourself as if you have the virus”

Everyone in Hong Kong is wearing a face mask. For such a densely populated area, we have managed to keep our transmission levels low. Face masks are most effective when everyone is wearing one.

If you go out, wear a mask. If you're sick, stay home.

Yes. I might look and feel dumb wearing it but at least itll slow the spread somehow

If not, why doctors and nurses wear mask? Better be safe than sorry.

They're just a bunch of squirrels running around and saying different things!! lol

The doctor who said there's no conclusive evidence that homemade masks help failed us by saying nothing about whether homemade masks can be harmful. If they're not harmful then it makes sense to wear them, and if they can be harmful we need to understand how they can harm and what we can do to decrease their chance of harm (such as washing them after each use).

China: Yes. We told you. January.

America without a president.
Just Depressing.

Just wear a mask. There’s all kinds of diy tutorials on how to make your own with stuff you have around the house. Will it help? Well, it can’t hurt🤷🏻‍♀️.
Social Distance 2020

Crickets from the government. We wont get straight answers from this administration lol.

Yes if you have one but keep it for the doctors and nurses

Oh...I don't know...if someone next to me sneezes...I would sure appreciate it if they were wearing a mask....and they would sure appreciate it if I sneezed and was wearing on.

There are so many asymptomatic or very early stage virus carriers out there, wearing a mask can help to prevent them accidentally transmit the virus to other.

Everyone should wear a mask. Period. Just watch peak prosperity there is no confusion.

How can I get a mask in Trump’s failed nation?
It’s hard enough to get toilet paper and pasta.

The reason why it is a debate outside China and S Korea is because, 1. You don’t have enough masks 2. U don’t wanna make that political sacrifice to force people to wear masks 3. China did so therefore u feel that u must not do so.

I sincerely hope you Americans are safe & that your Fed Gov can get the health industry the supplies needed to keep you alive!!

Just wear it,

Face masks helps prevent large droplets from spraying out on others through coughing. Even if not perfect, experts I've watched online say masks would definitely help prevent the spread of this virus, and/or potentially limit the severity of symptoms for those who catch the virus.

PLEASE HELP US I live in Branson Missouri, We had a soul pass 2 DAYS AGO, he was in the hospital for something else. upon his death they did a covid test which cam out positive. The nurses were not wearing PPE because the supply is low, and they thought the guy was safe . Now we have a situation where 50+ nurses and other medical staff have been exposed. We need help getting PPE so bad do you know of anyone that can help us? We are a small tourist driven city, no one seems to care if you know of someone that can help us cox is the name of the hospital in Branson Missouri.

I’m wearing a bandanna everywhere. I don’t care if It works but still gonna do it when I go to the grocery store. It’s the only place I’ve been for three weeks. And I only place I’ll go until this is over. Hopefully only two more trips before all is said and done. Limits set for amount of people allowed in the stores now so....hopefully I can get in on Monday? This is what reality demands.

Stay in and stay safe 😊

especially when you are inside, you have to wear a mask. at outside, it is not essential to wear it.

it's extremely hard for us to export mask to the US, the customs is so annoying as fk when it comes to certificate documentations

Wait so the first guy is saying he doesn't know if it helps or not but also not to take them away from medical workers that need them? Or am I missing something?

No... You should wear a mask to protect others not you! By the way... I’m not Chinese!

Wearing a mask in public is very important. It prevents no-symptom virus carrier from spreading the virus. It will help reduce the overflow in the hospital eventually. Please seriously consider wearing masks for general public.

If it's good enough for healthcare workers then it should be good enough for the rest of us.

I bought several N95 masks back in January for myself and my families. It’s just wayyy too late for people wants to get masks now.

Let me summarize for you. USA don’t even have enough masks for hospital, let along citizens. And yes, good quality face masks are very effective.

So mask is ineffective for general public but a must for health professionals? What kind of logic that is?

My mask protects you.
Your mask protects me.

Let's take off our blindfold and wear a mask from January 9th. This was intentional neglect

There are none available so...

I saw reports about this in early January, and ordered a dozen surgical masks then. They arrived more than two months later. I wear one when I go out to buy groceries. Will one protect me? No, but that's not why I wear it. Just in case I have the virus, and am asymptomatic, I don't want to share it with others. Half the people who get this have no other symptom than a loss of taste, or no symptom at all. If everyone assumed they were infectious, and masked up, we could halt the spread. If I saw this coming, in early January, from reading CDC's MMWR, why didn't hospitals around the country ? They had to know Trump would bungle this. Why didn't they stock up?

My wife has already had to buy 8 homemade masks, some of them are for her and the rest are for her coworkers. We must take care of eachother because the federal government has made it clear they aren't willing to walk us through this.

At this point I'll listen to myself and common sense. Since The "experts" with their vast knowledge and many shiny plaques and degrees that prove how smart and valuable they are, know about as much as joe shmoe.

I really don't get this "false sense of security" thing. We wear mask in my country but I certainly still don't feel secure or safe from the virus. No one I know feel secure after wearing one. Little protection is better than nothing. They can just say that the actual reason is because of supply issue. Adding more is like an insult to people who trying to get protected. I know some people who reluctant to wear mask because of the stigma of wearing one.

I'll wear a mask....if I have to go out....why chance it. It may or may not help...but it certainly won't hurt....and any possible advantage I can give myself...I give my family. Simple.

Yes you should. No need for a three minute conversation. They say don't wear a mask unless you're sick, uhhh how about I wear a mask and don't get sick in the first place and then I wont have to be another patient overfilling the hospital.

Why is there a woman in this group chat ?

If you already have them, yes, wear them. If not, don’t buy them, because there aren’t enough for the medical professionals who need them daily. I used to work in a doctor’s office as an admin. We regularly couldn’t get certain supplies, things like masks, because the distributor was out. And that was under normal circumstances. We often had to send someone out to to buy masks because we were out, which is an impossibility now.
So, if sick people are going to the doctor, or the hospital, and the staff don’t have the means to protect themselves, the medical professionals, the people we need to care for us, are going to get sick themselves. And they will then spread it to other people who may not have had it when they went in, but they certainly will now.
You _may_ need it, but doctors and nurses _do_ need it. Every single day.

Sorry, but what I know is this: If a mask will prevent Drs from getting sick, then it will help prevent ME from getting sick. Now, if I wear my mask and don't get sick, then I WON'T bother a Dr at the Hospital, taking up valuable space or perhaps a ventilator. So, if I give my mask to the Dr because he WANTS it for self-protection, then he'll just have to see me at the hospital when I'm sick, and of course, I'll say, "Hey, sweet mask."

Masks are not a panacea, they are preventable. Masks should be worn when going in or out of public places. This is a special period.

Let's be real, if you went grocery shopping wearing an N95 mask goggles and rubber gloves you're going to be better protected. But truth is when you're doing a 12 hour shift examining people and treating people with coronavirus you're at far higher risk of catching it than the average joe that's staying at home that's just venturing out for an hour of shopping. And there aren't enough for front line workers. But don't lie to the public. Truth is if you're social distancing your risk is lower. I have N95 Masks rubber gloves and glasses and goggles from before all this. I have yet to wear anything. I was saving them in case I got sick and needed to seek medical treatment to not risk anyone else.
I've also not left my house in 3 weeks. But as the numbers rise and community transmission becomes more pronounced, when I do finally venture out to do some shopping I will likely wear what I have. But I have made no attempt to get PPE since this started because I I understand front line workers need it far more than I. Ask folks to step up and do their part but don't lie to them.

I suffer from asthma and high blood pressure.. S. Korean’s wear masks all the time (pollution reasons) specially through this pandemic.. when I step outside my home (groceries & meds) Im wearing gloves and mask... and no, I am Not hoarding.

I go to the grocery store once a month. When I go, I wear an N95 respirator. We're no where near the peak, in my area, and people are not taking it seriously.
As for the health care professionals that "need" the N95 masks......
What they actually need are PAPRs, not disposable one time use N95 respirators.
If EVERYONE wore masks, that would cut down on the virus particles in the air, making even homemade masks, scarves, or bandannas more effective.
......but anything is better than nothing.

When you look at these topic, you have to think out of individual protection. Wearing any kind of masks, the fabric one in Asia, works as it protect Others from you not other way around. We have to remember that we all can be asymptomatic carriers so weraing mask prevent Our droplets from landing on surfaces thus slow the spreading of the virus.
This is turn will protect our love ones.

Covering your face works. Literally the medical system wear's masks both to protect themselves and to protect others. If covering your face is pointless, why are they critical for medical professionals.
Yes, we shouldn't use the required PPE itself, but we need good messaging telling people to cover their face as well as the other steps that have been taken for social distancing and washing hands.

Still arguing ? Unbelievable !
Put on face mask ! Save yourself ! Don't let idiots misguide you.
We have app here in Taiwan, which show you where to buy masks. American are so smart, you should do the same by yourself, don't wait your government.

The only thing I have is a bandana for a mask. Exactly why professionals aren't recommending them is that doctors and nurses need them. If I had a N 95 mask I'd definitely wear it.

Some materials work better than others for home made masks. You can search for information on the internet, including comparisons. Any poorly fitting mask is ineffective. If you squeeze metal strips on many commercial masks to fit your nose that helps with the seal.

Using the mask isn’t to protect yourself it’s to protect others from you.

Imagining Jared Kushner being responsible for anything that could impact people's lives is troubling.

I will by whatever I can

this shouldnt be discused

CDC is telling ppl not to wear it because there's not enough supply.... I have over 10,000 surgical facemask myself (50pcs a box). I can offer it to anyone for 50cents usd per mask

Wear mask for god sake

"What we don't want is mixed messaging..." sure, says people's masks don't protect but are precious for doctors!!

We need a leader.

Make them out of all that toilet paper you are hoarding ,you know who you are

I analyse data from my acquaintances of friend’s phone 📲 calls all the time....don’t you?

You should always, always use a mask when surrounded by other people in public places.
Also weare eye protection (very important), gloves and shoes easy to disinfect when you arrive home. A face mask stops droplets from sick people spreading around, also prevents healthy ones from aspirating those droplets in the respiratory system. Here in my country Ecuador is mandatory to always were a face mask in public. A home made mask is better than nothing but the best ones are N95 model with the valve in front. The valve helps to use mask longer because transports the moisture and humidity out when you exhale. But keep in mind that the same valve if you are sick, won't prevent to keep the virus inside the mask. When governments and media try to convince you not to use them is because there is shortage stock of masks in the market and try to keep them for medical health staff, police, Firefighters and gov. employees. Finally try to stay home as long as you can, avoid getting visits from friends and relatives.
If in the need to go to go out for some groceries, even if you are wearing eye protection, gloves and a mask, keep a safe distance of at least 4 feet from other people and avoid touching things unnecessary. Only one member of the family goes out and when he or she gets home, leave shoes and cloths at the entrance for washing and disinfection, washes hands with plenty soap for around 30 seconds and takes a shower.
Also use vitamin C (Tablets and food like pineapple, avocado, lemons, oranges) to boost your inmune system as well as do some exercise at home. Wash your hands with soap on regular basis, use alcohol and avoid touching your face (Specially eyes, nose and mouth) with hands unwashed.

So, if I understood correctly, he is saying for people not to protect themselves or their families so that the most affected areas can benefit of it?
Is there is shortage, it's the government's responsibility to deal with that and do something about it, but instead Americans have their leader (Donald Trump) saying "Some have insatiable appetite and are never satisfied"
If their leader does not care, why should people who are trying to protect themselves and their loved ones do.
People have been warned since the beginning to avoid touching their face, to stay home or away from others and to wash their hands as much as possible.

Last week I found 1020 surgical masks in my medical cupboard. I’m not hoarding; I live in Japan and we go through a lot of them. They work.

Experts with Trump: don't wear masks,they are useless.
Me: okay, save me some money good！
Now, I felt they lied and cheated one, I'm panic, I do not have a single mask... wtf.

To lower the cross-infection rate of my loved families and my friends, I should wear a mask out in public.

The question should be asked is this virus transmittable to survive through circulated filtered ducted air conditioning? Alike that on Cruiseships? If people cough the virus particles in moisture whose content is attracted to nasal and throat tissues? Or physical contact? Then this advise is contradicting for self-benefit and will cause more people to be infected!! I'm a concerned citizen!

Is it moral for a uninsured person to wear a medical mask? If society has decided that that person can die if they get sick . Can there be a moral contract with society?

Wearing masks is a great idea. The average citizen being able to purchase them is the problem.

Please wear your mask and other PPE properly. It MUST cover your nose, not just your mouth. The mask needs to be firm against your face with no gaps on the sides. When wearing the mask DO NOT TOUCH IT. When taking it off wash hands, then take the loop from BEHIND you ear unloop and let the other side fall off. Throw away by still holding the loop. Wash hands immediately again. Most masks are one use only. Do NOT reuse paper masks. Do not think a scarf or bandana is ok. You cannot safely be protected and you may run the chance of using again and inadvertently putting the outward facing area aginst your skin. There is a safe and unsafe way. Still maintain physical distance even if everyone is masked. Germs attach to your gloves folks. Do NOT touch your face, hair or body with gloves. Gloves MUST be removed properly as well. Be safe. Be smart.❤

If we think the virus is sound , it will be easy understanding.
We can't see the sound on air.
but if we don't want to hear this sound, we will cover our ears with something.
Anyway we will still hear a little bit.
But not much like before.

Why are the government workers not wearing a mask?

If the surgery mask not work, why ppl need to wear the surgery mask during surgery? The key is wear the mask in a correct way, sanitise ur hands before put on and after that, don’t touch u face!

The real question is where can I find a mask?

when the medical workers don't even have masks, of course ordinary people don't need one. Meanwhile, every single person would wear a mask in China, korea, hong kong, Japan and Singapore, that's why they can control the outbreak. they just try to avoid a run on mask.

and it is just very very silly not to have masks

Scarves are not better than masks, what stops the droplets in a mask is the filter layer inside which is made of nonwoven fabric. You would have a better chance diy-ing a mask out of kitchen rolls. Thickness has nothing to do with it.

In fact we might get back to more normal life if we would do so. There are rules you have to change mask clean them and not wear into a red zone then a green zone. . .

here are the standard , mask , washing your hand , talk less , 1.5m distance , stay at home

Well, thats exactly what you have right now. Mixed messaging. Blah

Medical Supply stores has mask and gloves. Call them in your area, they deliver to your home. Call your local pharmacy, use a bandana, scarf, or look up "make a mask" on yubetube.

All these doctor give wrong information . You guys told people not need to ware MASK just because hospital shortage MASK. But true is MASK protect you???? YES i believe so !! now told peoples to wear MASK a bit too late ;-(

Lol i bought 100 mask for 50 bucks. Sorry didnt know they were so scarce for the healthcare workers.

Holy crap... I get that there are some dumb people in the world, but I'm bothered by how many politicians and doctors seem to think it's the majority. The "false sense of security" crap that has been spouted is insulting and condescending.

I understand that healthcare workers are running Short on masks and others supplies. But it's one thing to honestly tell people that we are running short, saving those for doctors and nurses, but its another thing to just lie to people that mask doesn't work. Isn't this basic human rights that the official need to provide to the general population?

Please try to get more masks as you can than asking people not to wear it. Just see the other countries that do well on preventing the spreading of the virus,They wear masks. The simple logic is if less people infected the less medical resources needed.

Yes, and goggle.and gloves..if YOU REALLY HAVE TO LEAVE YOUR HOME!. Mind you, virus can be anywhere. So stay at home if you can and stayed healthy. Prioritized the health worker, 1st responders and public assistance people.

yes it is imperitive to wear a mask

I'm continuing to wear my masks..i don't believe a word Trump OR the media says anymore

just ware face mask！

face mask at home? The face mask is used for a public place. LOL