The last one masked can’t breathe easy
Experts say There’s ‘never going to be perfect’ solution
Does a mask still protect you if you’re the only person wearing one?
“A mask is never going to be perfect, but the right one is going to protect you from COVID, whether the space you’re in is well-ventilated or not,” said Dr. Shira Doron, an infectious disease physician and hospital epidemiologist at Tufts Medical Center. “Will a mask protect you 100% if you’re in a crowded room with people who have COVID? No.”
Having said that, she added, “We do trust our masks to protect us, even if it’s only one way. But quality is critical. I would not use a cloth mask as PPE (personal protective equipment).”
The key to a mask is fit and filtration, she said. N95 masks are the “gold standard” in those respects, Doron said, and wearing them on planes with many other people is relatively safe because planes have “excellent” ventilation.
But many people can’t wear N95s for long periods because they get lightheaded or have shortness of breath. Some people prefer KN95 masks because they can be more comfortable, she said.
Your chance of being infected in any case depends on proximity and duration, Doron said. The longer and closer you are to someone who has COVID, the higher the risk of becoming infected.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention define close contact as being within 6 feet or less for at least 15 minutes, said Dr. Daniel Kuritzkes, chief of the division of infectious diseases at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Being the only one wearing a mask in a room can make a person feel selfconscious, though.
“You should absolutely not feel self-conscious about wearing a mask, even if you just have a cold,” she said.
As long as people are fully vaccinated and wearing high-quality masks indoors, especially if they’re elderly or have underlying medical problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease or cancer, people should “live their lives and do the things that are important to them,” Doron said. “We’re past the point of saying we’re waiting for a safer time to travel or do things because there may never be a safer time.”
If you’re riding in a car with other people, wear a mask, said Todd Ellerin, head of infectious diseases at South Shore Hospital.
A majority of people in the United States continue to support a mask requirement for people traveling on airplanes and other shared transportation, a poll finds.
A ruling by a federal judge has put the government’s transportation mask mandate on hold — but that’s now being appealed.
The Transportation Security Administration stopped enforcing the mask requirement, but the Justice Department announced on Wednesday that it will appeal the ruling after getting a request from the CDC.