With mandates now lifted, is one-way masking enough against COVID? This is what experts say
The number of new COVID-19 cases reported each day in Mecklenburg County has dropped significantly over the last few months.
The COVID positivity rate was most recently under 4%, county health officials report. The lowest point on record was in June 2021, when the weekly average positivity rate in Mecklenburg was close to 2%.
Those who are immunocompromised, or recently tested positive for COVID-19, want maximum protection from the virus and may choose to mask in public even after mandates were lifted.
Studies show that masks prevent the spread of the virus when everyone wears them, but researchers say one-way masking -- or wearing a mask when others around you are not -- is less effective.
How effective is one-way masking?
The efficacy of one-way masking depends on the type of face-covering you wear.
“One-way masking with medical-grade masks and N95 or KN95 respirator masks provides protection against viral transmission,” Mecklenburg County Health Director Raynard Washington told the Observer in an email. “Individuals should opt for medical-grade masks and respirators to offer greater protection, particularly those at risk for severe illness due to COVID-19 infection. The mask should be worn properly, covering both nose and mouth with no gaps around the face.”
A recent study found that someone who is wearing a surgical mask indoors has a 90% risk of contracting the virus when they are five feet away from an infected person after 30 minutes.
Switching to an N95 mask drops that risk to 20% over the course of an hour, but the chances of contracting the virus are less than 1% when both people are masked.
People who are immunocompromised, at higher risk — such as those who are older — or who are in an area of higher disease transmission are advised to continue wearing a mask while COVID still spreads in the community.
What if I’m vaccinated but choose not to wear a mask?
Although 65% of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated, masks may still be necessary for some people, according to Cleveland Clinic infectious disease expert Kristin Englund. There are several reasons for that, he explains:
It takes two weeks for vaccines to reach maximum efficacy.
Vaccines do not provide 100% protection against the virus.
Those who have been vaccinated may be asymptomatic spreaders.
Vaccines may not be as effective for those who are at risk for severe infections.
Those who have received the vaccine but not the booster may have waning immunity to the virus.
“Unfortunately, getting vaccinated does not instantly mean we can go back to how life was before,” Englund said. “Until we have some level of herd immunity, the vaccine is now just another layer of protection against COVID-19.”
This story was originally published March 22, 2022 at 1:02 PM.
