Should we be wearing face masks when out in public?

The answer to this question is almost certainly, yes (but see caveat at the end of the piece). The rationale for doing do is quite strong. Three countries that have successfully dealt with the pandemic (China, Japan and South Korea) used the wearing of face masks in public as a major component of their disease fiting strategy. Although the U. S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) do not currently recommend the routine wearing of facemaks in public their guidance on the issue is contradictory. The CDC advises that only those diagnosed with COVID-19 infection and those with symptoms consistent with infection should wear masks in public. However, we know that patients may be infected with and secreting the COVID-19 virus for up to three days before any signs or symptoms of the disease appear. Therefore, given the relatively low level of testing, the only rationale approach to reducing the spead of the virus among the public is to assume that all people may have symptomatic infection and should wear masks. The apparent reluctance of the CDC to recommend that all those in public spaces should wear masks is because, in view of the global shortage of face masks, this practice might deprive some in the medical community of desparately needed protection.   The CDC should immediately take two simple steps to reduce the spread of COVID-19 infection while safeguarding the medical community: (i) advise that everyone in public should wear protective face masks, and (ii) provide instructions on how to make effective face masks from ordinary household materials (cotton clothing, scarves etc.).