Face coverings have been a popular topic in the last 13 months. While the benefits have been researched and proven effective, it isn’t all great when it comes to those new facial accessories. 

Masks can help prevent the spread of Covid-19, studies have shown that Covid-19 is spread from person to person. Whether you feel sick or not wearing a mask can ensure that you and your peers are safe and healthy. You can have Covid without having any symptoms so wearing a mask is a great way to keep others safe from the potential of getting the virus. 

Masks can also be incredibly uncomfortable to wear. The CDC has suggested that people who have breathing problems should not wear masks. It can make it harder to breathe causing it to risk people’s health. People who need assistance taking off their masks are also advised not to wear them, it defeats the purpose of 6 feet apart. Kids under the age of 2 are also not permitted to wear a mask because of how young they are.  

There are many pros and cons to whether or not masks should be worn.  “People should wear masks during a time right now because we should all help each other, to keep each other safe so things can go back to normal,” added 8th grader Maddie Tomlin.

There are certain types of masks you should and should not wear. Masks with air filters, don’t fit properly, and are thin should not be worn. Masks with more than one layer and fit properly are the type of masks that should be worn. Making sure you have the right masks is key to make sure you keep others and yourself safe.

While the benefits are clear, there is still the obvious issue of the discomfort that comes with having to cover your face all day.

 “In my opinion, the difficult part of teaching with a mask is making sure that students can clearly hear what I am saying.  I feel like the mask muffles the sound too much and some words just don’t come out right.  The worst part of using a mask while teaching is how uncomfortable they become as they rub against your face for 6 hours,” said math teacher Mr. Anslow.

Masks can make it harder to hear others because the sounds can get muffled, especially for people with hearing issues, and the ability to read lips is now taken away.

Should we or should we not wear masks? That is a question that can be answered in many different ways. Wearing a mask can be annoying at times, but it can keep you and others safe from Covid-19. 

Sources:  Gillespie, Claire. “Why Do Some People Refuse to Wear a Face Mask in Public?” Health.Co

m, 5 Jan. 2021, www.health.com/condition/infectious-diseases/coronavirus/face-mask-refuse-to-wear-one-but-why.

“COVID-19 and Your Health.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 11 Feb. 2020, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-guidance.html