A new study reveals most people are wearing masks incorrectly in public places. Researchers observed 100 random people and found 73% wore cloth or loose surgical masks. Just 27% wore tight surgical masks covering their nose and mouth. None wore N95 respirators. People were nearly 3 times more likely to wear masks incorrectly than correctly. The findings show public messaging on proper mask use needs to improve. Cloth and loose masks don't prevent virus transmission well. For masks to work, they must be tight-fitting surgical or N95 respirators.
Citation: Heston, Thomas F. (2023). To Mask or Not to Mask Correctly: An Empirical Look at Public Masking Behavior. Jour Clin Med Res. 2023;4(2):1-3. https://doi.org/10.46889/JCMR/2023.4214
Keywords: masks, covid, coronavirus, public health, pandemic, n95, surgical mask, transmission, respiratory illness