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Why should we all wear masks for 100 days?
President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday (12/03/20) said he plans to ask the nation to wear masks for his first 100 days in office. “Just 100 days to mask. Not forever — 100 days,” Mr. Biden said. Why should we adopt universal masking?
- The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that wearing a mask could be more effective than a vaccine at fending off the pandemic. And vaccine availability for most (young, healthy) Americans will take at least 100 days.
- A University of Washington study from July forecast that the U.S. daily death toll could be reduced by more than 66 percent with universal mask-wearing. Statistical modeling suggests that near-universal masking could prevent 180,000 COVID-19 deaths.
- Some studies hint that masks might reduce the severity of infection if people do contract the disease.
- Previous studies have concluded that face masks have helped reduce the transmission of influenza as well. They likely reduce the transmission of other viral and infectious respiratory infections as well.
- Dr. Anthony Fauci, a scientific hero and American treasure, said “it’s a good idea.”
Sky Pittson, MD, December 10, 2020
