Be smart, be responsible, be kind — wear a mask! It’s not a reflection on your bravery; it is a reflection of your concern for others.  Masks have become a contentious and confusing topic, but the information from good sources is quite clear:  their use is recommended for almost everyone (other than the very young or infirm) and they will work best if everyone is wearing them, not just the "chronically concerned." 

We've partnered with the Spotlight: Orange initiative in our region to work on public health messaging around masks. There are some great memes and posters about masks you can download to share or print on that page here. Spotlight: Orange works to highlight the amazing work of our healthcare workers and other front line employees and focus on the positive initiatives being undertaken to pull our communities through the current challenges.

People inclined to dismiss the use of masks seem to suddenly start getting the idea that they might actually be advisable when they discover there has been an exposure at their workplace or an outbreak is starting in their community, but it makes more sense to adopt them before either of those things occur, in order to prevent them from taking place at all!

Nationwide, there is a growing consensus that having everyone wear masks makes the most sense to try to curb growing infections. As many as 75% of the public agrees with the concept and sees those wearing masks in a positive light. That even includes a majority of Republicans, but it is clear, that as with other science-related topics, there are more people rejecting the scientific and economic consensus.

In recent weeks, the Department of Community and Economic Development has been reminding businesses that even in Green Phase there are still public health guidelines and infection mitigation measures that need to be observed. There is a lot of confusion and anger about this locally, but it's really not that complicated. As DCED put it in a statewide email:

Subject: ⚠️ Reminder: Masks Are Mandatory in Businesses 😷

Staying Committed to Containing COVID-19 We are one of only three states in the country that has flattened our curve while reopening our economy. We have a lot to celebrate as our counties continue to move from the Yellow Phase to the Green Phase in our reopening plan. Our collective efforts to contain COVID-19 is paying off, but our work is far from over. When we move to the Green Phase, remember that it isn’t a return to how things were before. We must stay alert to keep the virus from resurging. Under every phase, we must: -Wear masks in public -Keep our physical distance of six feet or more -Wash our hands frequently for at least 20 seconds -Clean and disinfect surfaces often -Limit group gatherings and crowds

Masks Are Mandatory   Wearing a mask is an important part of keeping COVID-19 from spreading. Everyone must wear a mask. That includes workers and customers. Remember, my mask protects you and your mask protects me. No mask, no shirt, no shoes, no service. If a worker or customer attempts to enter your business without a mask on, ask them to leave and return when they have a mask. A fabric mask is fine if they aren’t a medical worker or first responder. Find PPE to protect your workers. Masks and other PPE can be hard to find given the high demand. But we’ve got you covered. Check out our online directory of PPE manufacturers and suppliers in Pennsylvania. Have good mask hygiene. Don’t touch the front of your mask. Make sure it covers both your nose and mouth. Don’t lift it up when talking to someone. Remember, the virus travels in the droplets we breath out when talking or laughing, not just when we cough or sneeze. If wearing a fabric mask, make sure you wash it and let it fully dry between uses.

Together, we are tougher than COVID-19 These measures are in place to keep us on the right track. When so many other states are seeing the virus regain a foothold in their communities, we all need to do our part to make sure we don’t experience the same here.Thank you for your continued efforts to keep our families, communities, and each other safe. For more information and resources, check out our COVID-19 Guidance and Resources.

And of course, since that DCED reminder went out, the Governor and the Secretary of Health further strengthened the mask order. The primary difference from the DOH order in effect since mid-April is that rather than being tied to worker safety and businesses, the new order is also directed at individuals and clarifies that people should wear masks any time they are in public and unable to distance, including in businesses and other public buildings, on and waiting for transit, ride-share, or taxis, and outside in crowds.

There are a few exceptions listed but they are largely the same as before: children under 2 and the infirm as well as people whose jobs would be rendered too difficult by a mask.

One notable site doing a great job with its mask policy is Knoebel's Amusement Park. If you work at or visit a business that is not showing a commitment to health and safety, you can submit an online complaint to the Department of Health and if the site gets multiple independent reports, the DOH will follow up with them and remind them of the guidelines. Businesses may even jeopardize their insurance coverage if they do not comply.

In defiance of the local, state, national, and global imperative to adopt mask wearing and in spite of the fact that it is in the end one of the easiest things we could be asked to do to fight the pandemic, there is a lot of contrary messaging being circulated. Here are some links that address some of the primary avenues of objection/complaint:

• This (free) Atlantic article addresses the topic quite well, including the question of protection for the wearer versus protection from the wearer. 
• This Forbes Magazine article debunks the concern about their being dangerous or a cause of CO2 poisoning. 
• This Reuters article debunks the claim that wearing a mask will damage your immune system.
• The image below addresses the question of whether simple cloth masks are effective. It is courtesy of the AAAS (American Academy for the Advancement of Science) Science Mag and this study about masks.   

The biggest objection by far, though, seems to be that the rule, guideline, directive, mandate, order -- what have you -- is not a law, is therefore unenforceable, and is therefore not worthy of consideration. Learning that it is the right thing to do, the responsible thing to do, the logical thing to do, and the kind thing to do is apparently not sufficient. This idea of terminology and legislative semantics as the reason for not wearing a mask betrays a strangely mechanistic conception of morality and legality. If the only thing preventing you from committing murder is the fact that there's a law against it, you may want to reconsider your ethical framework. As it happens, wearing a mask, should you be unwittingly infected as so many are, could be just the thing to prevent you from accidentally transmitting that infection to someone who may in fact die... Why is this so hard to understand? A few short months ago, we talked colloquially about "hills to die on" as a metaphor for taking a stand about something others might not appreciate. That idiom is taking on newly morbid significance today.

Our friends at Dear Pandemic, the facebook info page created by public health experts to address people's questions about things like this during this confusing time, have also discussed this strangely thorny topic. You should be able to follow that link even if you yourself are not "on" facebook. Be sure to check out the discussion in the comments as there are further questions and answers.