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This episode was filmed on April 7th, 2020.
If we have a more recent episode about COVID-19,
we will include it in the description.
On April 3rd, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
started recommending that people wear a mask over their face
when they go out in public.
These guidelines don’t replace social distancing —
it is still really important to stay away from other people
as much as possible right now.
Which I am doing by filming this at my home.
But masks are designed to keep the virus from spreading
in more crowded places that we still need to go to,
like grocery stores.
Except, for many of us, this isn’t the message we’ve gotten
for the last couple of months.
Before this, many health organizations recommended not wearing a mask
unless you are sick or caring for someone who is.
So... what changed?
Well, it’s not that scientists learned something new about masks.
It’s that they uncovered more about how the virus
seems to be spreading.
In most cases, a mask won’t keep you from getting sick
if there are viruses in the air around you.
We’ve talked about this before, but when you breathe
while wearing a basic mask, a lot of the air you inhale
comes in from around the mask’s edges.
And since that air doesn’t pass through the mask,
the virus gets carried in along with it.
Respirators and more sophisticated devices can offer
better protection if they’re fitted and used properly,
but — and I’m sure you’ve heard this — those should be saved
for healthcare workers, who are getting up close and personal
with COVID-19 patients on a regular basis.
Still, while basic masks can’t really keep viruses
from getting in, they are much better at keeping them
from getting out.
See, when you cough or sneeze, or even talk, it’s not just air
that comes out, but little particles of moisture
that scientists call respiratory droplets.
And if you’re sick, those droplets can be teeming with viruses.
But a mask traps many of those droplets inside.
That’s why the CDC and World Health Organization have recommended
for months that anyone who’s coughing, sneezing, or sick wear a mask.
But now, things are changing — at least, for the CDC.
And that’s because new research suggests it’s not just people
who know they’re sick that can infect others.
We now know that some cases of COVID-19 can be pretty mild.
And while most people with a mild case develop a fever,
it's possible they might not know they’re sick.
But beyond that, there seem to be cases where people with the virus
never show symptoms at all but can still transmit it.
And for the rest, evidence is mounting that it’s possible
to spread the virus when you’re presymptomatic —
in other words, before you start showing symptoms.
For instance, a study published on April 1st found that around 6%
of cases in Singapore could be linked to a person
who was presymptomatic.
And in Chinese cases outside the epicenter of Hubei province,
the figure was more like 13%.
By definition, people who are presymptomatic aren’t yet coughing
or sneezing — and may not be for several days.
But even normal activities like talking, or ones you can’t avoid,
like breathing, can create respiratory droplets.
And while we currently don’t have evidence that those particles
are big enough to transmit the virus, some scientists —
and a few preliminary studies — suggest it is a possibility.
In any case, asymptomatic and presymptomatic transmission does seem
to be happening.
And that’s why the official guidance in the U.S. and elsewhere
is shifting to recommend we all start wearing masks.
Because it is possible for someone to be transmitting COVID-19
without even knowing they are sick.
So, by wearing a mask, we are helping protect everyone else.
In response to this, you’ve probably seen people make their own masks,
using things like scrap fabric or bandanas.
And although that might seem like a kind of trivial precaution, the limited evidence we
have suggests they do seem to be helpful.
Like, look at one study that came out in 2013.
Because it was done seven years ago, it wasn’t on the COVID-19 virus,
but it did find that a cotton T-shirt blocked about half of the viruses
in a cough, while a tea towel stopped 72%.
Of course, at this point, there is a lot that we don’t know
about this coronavirus, and there haven’t been many studies
about homemade masks.
That’s why some experts disagree with the new CDC recommendations.
But other researchers think that doing something
is better than nothing.
If you want to make a mask, the CDC website has several patterns,
including ones that don’t require any sewing,
and we’ll include a link to that in the description.
But there is an important thing to know here:
Even though just wearing a mask can feel kind of reassuring,
for them to work, you have to use them right.
I happen to have a mask right here, so I can do a demo for you.
You should wear them tight over your nose and mouth
and avoid touching the sides and straps as much as possible.
And you shouldn’t touch the front of the mask at all.
It sounds silly, but you should basically treat it
like it’s covered in raw chicken or poop.
So, when it’s time to remove your mask, do it using
the straps or strings.
Then, after every use, store your mask in a bag until you can
wash it in a washing machine or with soap and hot water.
And of course, wash your hands before and after touching the mask.
As our understanding of COVID-19 continues to improve,
there’s a good chance these guidelines could change again.
But, look - that’s honestly a good thing.
Guidelines change when we understand more about this virus
and this disease.
And that continues to happen.
At the end of the day, this is going to be information
that helps us keep each other safe and figure out
how to get through this.
Thanks for watching this episode of SciShow!
We hope you’re staying safe and well out there.
If you’re at home with the kids these days,
I wanted to recommend SciShow Kids!
That’s our channel that is designed for young elementary schoolers.
My son loves it!
We are watching a lot of it right now.
We have more than 300 episodes over there right now,
and we hope they’ll be helpful to you.
You can find them at youtube.com/scishowkids.
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