John,

Recently, Pat did a Q&A with The Washington Examiner where he talked about the importance of wearing protective masks while out in public as part of the effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

In the interview, Pat talks about the advantages of wearing masks as a complementary effort to social distancing and hand washing.

He says at one point:

“And it's not really primarily for the benefit of the person wearing it, but it's for the benefit of everyone else. And I am not recommending that we have universal use of N95 masks. Those are too precious and need to be reserved for the healthcare providers who are dealing directly with people who are known to have the virus. But we could do a lot of good at slowing down the rate of transmission if we just put a scarf, or a bandanna, or a homemade mask, some kind of device that would slow down the rate of transmission.”

This is an effort that all of us can take part in. Sometimes it is unavoidable that we have to leave our houses in order to get supplies or other necessities, but there are precautions that we can take in order to minimize the risk when we do so. 

When asked what further steps might look like, Pat recommends that the CDC could provide guidance on how to make a functional mask at home if you don’t already have something. 

Spreading awareness around using masks and taking these precautions will be vital in increasing the social norm of taking these preventative measures.

We hope you all are staying safe and healthy. Social distancing and proper hygiene are still the most effective combatants to the spread of this virus. However, any further steps, such as wearing a mask while out in public, can only further help reduce the issue. 

Thank you,

Team Toomey