Masks: Are They Effective?
Carlee Davidson
Why this Topic?
COVID-19 has been all the talk this year. It’s interrupted everything from birthday
parties to prom to graduation to school in general. The CDC and most governments
say that masks will help slow the spread and get the virus under control. However, it
has become a hotly debated topic in this country. It’s become widely politicized, and
I want to just speak to the science of it. We should care because if we ever want life
to return to normal, we will need to make some adjustments and understand how
other countries have gotten over the virus so that we can too.
Statistics
Current COVID Case Counts:
● China: around 90,604
● USA: 15.2 million
● UK: 1.75 million
● Italy: 1.76 million
○ Note: Italy had it under control from
○ mid-April to the beginning of October.
Research
I found a plethora of scholarly articles saying that masks are effective. The CDC,
Mayo Clinic, and the Lancet (a very credible medical journal) all agree that the
general public should be wearing masks any time they leave their house. I could not
find a single scholarly article that says masks aren’t effective. However, all of those
sources listed above say that if masks are worn improperly they are not effective.
The same thing applies if one is wearing the wrong kind of mask. One of my sources
said that sixteen states still hadn’t adopted mask mandates, and that’s because it’s
become a very politicized issue over the last couple months.
My Project
I made a brochure! I chose to do it by hand instead of digitally because I honestly
have no idea how to do it with a computer. I also figured that if I drew it, I wouldn’t
have to worry about importing images from Google and citing my sources because
I’m my own source for my images. I could also use color as a means to convey the
emotion I want the readers to feel.
Why Does It Matter? / Solution
People are all up in arms about events being cancelled due to the current pandemic.
Through my research, I found that masks are effective in controlling the case counts.
If everyone would wear a mask, I truly believe life would be back to normal in no
time.
The obvious solution is to just wear a mask. However, just simply wearing one is not
enough. Wear it the right way (that means keeping your nose inside), keep it clean,
and make sure it fits. Try to stay away from big gatherings, especially during this
season where cases are out of control.
Quiz
Pull out a half sheet of paper and a pencil.
1. What kind of masks are best for the public?
a. Two or three layer cloth masks
b. N95 and surgical masks
c. Non-medical disposable masks
d. Both A and C
2. Which country has been hit harder by the virus?
a. China
b. The United States of America
Quiz Continued
1. 3. How should you care for your mask?
a. Wear the same mask three days in a row
b. Wear a disposable mask more than once
c. Wash your hands after touching it
2. 4. How many credible articles were there about masks not working?
a. One
b. Two
c. Three
d. Zero
Answer Key
1. D
2. B
3. C
4. D
Sources
Brosseau, Lisa M. “COMMENTARY: Masks-for-All for COVID-19 Not Based on Sound Data.” CIDRAP, 2020,
www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2020/04/commentary-masks-all-covid-19-not-based-sound-data.
Burki, Talha. “China’s Successful Control of COVID-19.” The Lancet Infectious Diseases, vol. 20, no. 11, Oct. 2020,
10.1016/s1473-3099(20)30800-8.
CDC. “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 7 Aug. 2020,
www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-guidance.html.
Mayo Clinic Staff. “Can Face Masks Protect against the Coronavirus?” Mayo Clinic,
www.mayoclinic.org/coronavirus-mask/art-20485449.
Mcauliff, Michael, et al. “Sixteen States Still Don’t Mandate Mask Use. Why?” Undark Magazine, 6 Oct. 2020,
undark.org/2020/10/06/16-states-dont-mandate-mask-use/. Accessed 22 Nov. 2020.
