Not long ago, the only location in the United States where you could find individuals wearing masks was in a hospital or on a football field. They’re everywhere nowadays, owing to COVID-19. A recent piece posted on October 4 by The Atlantic has caused its viewers to question the usefulness of cloth masks. In it, the author argues that Americans should switch to surgical masks such as N95s. People all over the world are gathering cloth masks at their homes and workplaces. Masks are no longer mandatory, but rather a fashionable accessory. RiverHawks masks are sold at NSU in Tahlequah and may be seen all throughout campus. Tahlequah Tigers masks have also made their way into school settings.
Masks are sold in establishments such as Junie’s Closet, Vivid, and other boutique shops on Tahlequah Main Street. They are available in a variety of colours, styles, and shapes. Politicians and government officials have been chastised for refusing to wear masks, while others have been chastised for donning masks. Many people in the neighbourhood are perplexed because they don’t know when it’s appropriate to mask and what kind of masks to wear.
The author of The Atlantic’s storey, Yasmin Tayag, speculated that wearing cotton masks isn’t quite as helpful as originally thought.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to suggest that people wear cotton masks with at least two layers of washable, breathable fabric.
W.W. Hastings Hospital, for example, demands masks to be worn in their facilities by both staff and patients, and their personnel are utilizing N95 masks, but patients can use cotton masks if they like. The same policy is in place at Northeastern Health System. All healthcare personnel are wearing N95 masks, and consumers are able to wear any CDC-approved mask.
