EDITOR:

Ralph Blaiser’s November 30 letter to the editor does a nice job reviewing the evidence on the efficacy of different mask types for preventing one from acquiring a respiratory disease like COVID. In short, nothing beats an N-95. Unfortunately, his focus is on the personal benefits of mask wearing, not the public health benefits. From a public health perspective, even the flimsiest masks are reasonably effective at preventing an asymptomatic infected person from transmitting an infection to others. Hence, his conclusion: “But when I look around at the masks people are wearing, I believe that most of them, most of the time, are wearing masks that have no actual effect.” Is dead wrong. Given the high current incidence of COVID in our community, and the high frequency of asymptomatic spread, we should all be wearing masks not to keep from acquiring COVID, but to prevent spreading it to others. I would expect better of a physician.

Brian Black

Escanaba