Permanently Normalizing Mask-Wearing Can Have Enormous Benefits

Let’s retain the smart hygiene practices we’ve learned from this pandemic

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, wearing a surgical mask in the United States connoted one of two things: you were a health care worker, or you were so gravely ill that people needed to avoid you at all costs.

Seeing a person wearing a mask in a place like the grocery store would make me, as I’m sure it would make many others, feel extremely uncomfortable. It never crossed my mind that a person would wear a mask to protect themselves. To me, wearing a mask meant you needed to protect others from whatever illness you were experiencing.

COVID-19 has changed so many things about our world, and it will likely continue to affect everything from our public health policies to our social behavior for a long time — but that doesn’t have to be a worrisome or dreadful prospect.

Let’s take a deeper look at face masks. Most places in the United States now have mask mandates, and there’s been (and continues to be) a lot of debate over face coverings. I know many people will breathe sighs of relief when it’s safe enough to remove the mask mandate, but personally, I don’t think the mask should go away forever just because we put COVID-19 behind us.

Let me explain why.

Let’s get one thing straight: Wearing a mask can reduce your risk of infection

Since the advent of COVID-19, researchers have rushed to study the real-world effectiveness of mask-wearing against contracting the virus and spreading it to others. Countless studies have been performed, and one particular study, a meta-analysis, shows clear results. A meta-analysis reviews all of the published literature about a given research topic, sorts out the relevant studies, and produces an aggregate result.

In the case of mask-wearing, a recent meta-analysis looked at 21 different studies regarding the effectiveness of masks against contracting respiratory viruses. The analysis looked at mask effectiveness in both Asia and Western countries, and found that mask-wearing had a protective effect against respiratory viruses in both geographies. However, the protective effect was higher in Asia. In quantifiable terms, the odds of people wearing masks in Asia contracting a respiratory virus were 69% lower compared to those not wearing masks. In Western countries, the odds of mask-wearers contracting a respiratory virus were just 55% lower than non-mask-wearers.

It’s possible that the cause of the discrepancy in mask effectiveness between Asia and Western countries could be due to the normalization of mask-wearing in Asian countries. This normalization could mean that adherence to mask-wearing is higher in Asia, and adherence would likely enhance the protective effect of the mask against respiratory viruses. In fact, one study examined the issue of adherence in particular — researchers found that wearing masks as instructed can offer protection against influenza-like illnesses, whereas a lack of adherence to mask-wearing offers no significant protective effect.

Either way, the evidence is clear: Wearing a mask consistently can help protect you against contracting respiratory viruses.

It’s just the flu — why should I wear a mask?

COVID-19 is on everybody’s minds right now, and for good reason. But COVID-19 isn’t the only dangerous respiratory virus out there. From 2010–2020, seasonal influenza in the United States caused an estimated 12,000–61,000 deaths each year, from an estimated 9.3 to 45 million illnesses. Before COVID-19, public health experts were most concerned about pandemic influenza, which, as the 1918 flu showed, can be incredibly deadly. The 1918 flu killed an estimated 50 million people worldwide.

Influenza isn’t just physically worrisome — it also carries an enormous economic burden. In the United States alone, seasonal influenza is estimated to cost a total of $11.2 billion, made up of both direct medical costs ($3.2 billion) and indirect costs ($8.0 billion), which include metrics such as lost productivity. As we’ve seen with the COVID-19 pandemic, serious illnesses affect not only lives, but also livelihoods. With so much at stake, mask-wearing seems a tiny price to pay for greater safety and security.

Okay, but this is just a cold — surely masks are unnecessary now?

The common cold is something we all have to contend with — adults typically have 2–3 colds per year; among children, that number is even higher. Colds are usually caused by rhinoviruses, and they spread much like COVID-19 — via the air and close contact with someone who is ill. Colds aren’t nearly as worrisome as COVID-19 or influenza for most people, but for those with compromised immune systems or chronic respiratory conditions, the common cold can become something much more serious, such as pneumonia.

As you’ve probably guessed, mask-wearing can protect against common colds, as well. Before you discount the idea of wearing a mask just to protect from a silly little cold, think about this: a study of over 2,000 men and women found that 93% reported sleep disturbances with a cough/cold, nearly half of the respondents had to be absent from work or school, and respondents’ productivity decreased by over a quarter.

Still not convinced? Let’s talk numbers. A different study examined the economic cost related to the common cold. Due to productivity loss and absenteeism, the researchers estimated the cost of the common cold at about $25 billion. That’s more than double the economic cost of influenza.

The bottom line: Let’s normalize mask-wearing

The bottom line is clear: wearing a mask isn’t just a physical safety precaution, it’s also an economic one. Covering your face effectively during cold and flu season can protect you from all sorts of respiratory viruses, which will allow you to feel and perform your best. And if you do catch a cold, wearing a mask means you’re less likely to pass it on to someone else who might be more vulnerable to serious illness.

I’m not saying we all need to wear masks all the time, forever. I’m only advocating for a more permissive culture around mask-wearing during non-pandemic times. We’re already seeing how the hygiene measures introduced during COVID-19 have affected the prevalence of other illnesses — seasonal influenza levels were shockingly low throughout 2020.

We all want society to return to normal — but maybe a ‘new normal’ would be an improvement. Taking greater responsibility for your health, protecting yourself and those around you, and avoiding high-risk situations can have major benefits in both the short-term and the long-term — for all of us.