The Atlantic: Why Aren’t We Wearing Better Masks?

In this article published Jan. 13, 2021, writers Zeynep Tufekci and Jeremy Howard argue that the cloth masks most Americans wear should be upgraded to higher-quality masks, especially due to the arrival of the new coronavirus variant in the US. Early in the pandemic, the CDC encouraged people to make or buy cloth masks to preserve the critical supply of medical-grade N95 masks for health care workers. Though wearing cloth masks was a good behavior to recommend early on, these masks are not as effective as N95s or masks with several layers and particle filters, a fact that is backed up by research. Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore are among the countries that regularly distribute high-quality masks to citizens for free. Visit the article here.