Over the weekend, three new cases of the Wuhan coronavirus were confirmed in the United States: two in California and one in Arizona, bringing the national total to five. That number is expected to climb, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
But we still don’t have a solid grasp on how easily the respiratory illness — which is also known as 2019-nCoV and was first identified in Wuhan, China — spreads. There’s enough evidence it’s transmissible between humans, but whether you’d have to come in close contact with an infected person’s coughs or sneezes or simply be in their presence or touch a contaminated surface to contract the virus is unclear.
Because the virus is still somewhat of a mystery, many people — especially those in China, where the outbreak is centered — have started wearing face masks to protect themselves from getting sick. (There’s allegedly already a face mask shortage in some cities in Asia, and many Amazon sellers have sold out.)
But even though people are rushing to get their hands on a medical face mask, experts are somewhat skeptical about how effective they are in protecting people against dangerous viruses and bacteria. Below is their take on whether or not you should wear a mask and how else you can protect yourself.
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