01/04/2026
MASK MYTHS & FACTS
h/t Durham County Department of Public Health
MYTH: There's no point in wearing a mask if no one else nearby is wearing one.
FACT: Masks offer the most protection to the community when more people are wearing them, but they are still highly effective even when you are the only person masked! [Even a less-than-great mask reduces the viral load you breathe in, and that may count toward less serious illness even if you did get sick.]
MYTH: N95s and KN95s are the only masks that offer any protection against viruses.
FACT: High-quality masks like N95s and KN95s (these are also called respirators) offer the MOST protection against viruses that can spread through the air, like COVlD-19, flu, and more, but ANY mask is better than nothing! If you don't have an N95 or KN95, it's still a good idea to wear the best mask available to you.
MYTH: Wearing a mask helps protect other people but has no impact on the person wearing it.
FACT: Wearing a mask helps protect you AND others. Masks help keep virus particles you exhale from spreading in the air, and they help protect you from inhaling virus particles put into the air by others.
Important note: This graphic is just to illustrate virus particles being blocked by a mask. The mask won't work if you're not actually wearing it. You have to wear it on your face, covering your nose and mouth. Please do not hold it away from your face.
[The seal around the edges of the mask that is one of the most important things, so no unfiltered air can get in and none can escape. With a good seal around the edges, all breath in or out is properly filtered.]
MYTH: It's only important to wear a mask if you are sick or will be with someone else who is sick.
FACT: Many viruses like COVlD-19, flu, and measles can spread even if the sick person has no symptoms (asymptomatic), so you don't always know if you're sick or near others who are!
Some viruses can also linger in the air and continue to infect people even after the sick person has left the room. (Did you know? Measles continues to spread through the air for up to two hours after an infected person has left the room! [And COVlD can stay infectious in the air for several hours, too!]) [This is why good ventilation and air purifiers are also so important!]
MYTH: If masks work, I shouldn't have to wear one if you're wearing your own.
FACT: Masks (especially high quality masks/respirators like N95s and KN95s) are an important way to protect yourself from COVlD-19, but they are even more effective when others nearby are also masking! We protect the community the most when more people wear masks.
[Also, some people's immune systems are not able to fight off even small viral loads, and if their mask has an accidental leak at the edge, they may still get sick if the others aren't masking. Two-way masking is always safest, especially for immunocompromised people!]
MYTH: If I wear a mask, it's fine to be around other people while I'm sick.
FACT: Staying home and away from others is the most effective way to protect other people while you are sick. While you're sick, avoid others as much as possible to keep them safe. If you have to go out, masks are extremely important to help protect others and should be worn at all times, but they are not 100% effective and don't guarantee you won't still spread illness.
Staying home and resting is also highly important to give your body the chance to fully recover and avoid longer, more serious illness!
MYTH: There's no evidence masks work.
FACT: Studies have repeatedly shown that wearing masks significantly reduces your chances of becoming sick with
COVlD-19, flu, and other viruses that can spread through the air (airborne transmission / airborne spread).
High-quality masks like N95s & KN95s, also called respirators, work best and should be worn if you have them, but even cloth masks offer more protection than wearing nothing!
CDC: Wearing a mask lowered the odds of testing positive—Among 534 participants reporting mask type:
▪️ No mask: No reduction
▪️ Cloth mask: 56% lower odds
▪️ Surgical mask: 66% lower odds
▪️ Respirator (N95/KN95): 83% lower odds
MYTH: If I wear a mask, it's not important to get vaccinated or take other steps to protect myself.
FACT: Wearing masks is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself from the spread of viruses through the air; but because 1) no method of protection is 100% effective and 2) many viruses can spread in other ways, in addition to airborne spread, it's still important to stay up to date on vaccines and take other steps to protect yourself and others. [These may include ventilating spaces, using air purifiers, washing your hands, etc.]
