The CDC is recommending the public wear cloth masks when in public. While grocery shopping today, my wife noted it’s the first time she’s worn a cloth mask in public other than to keep her face warm when skiing.
Why did the CDC seem to take so long to reach this decision? It’s actually a lot more complicated of a decision than it seems on the surface.
Are cloth masks a substitute for social distancing? No. Absolutely not.
Is a cloth mask considered PPE by OSHA? Not at this point in time, because they are not designed to protect the wearer.
How do they work? In theory, they can slightly reduce the spread of large respiratory droplets, which is how SARS-CoV-2 is thought to be spread.
How can they increase risks of disease transmission? The respiratory droplets the masks do catch are held in the cloth, and most people will touch the mask often, then possibly spreading the virus to other surfaces they touch.
If you have questions and need answers, drop us a comment below, and we’ll see if we can’t help. Email kevin@doublestrandconsulting.com if you would like free access to our white paper on this topic.