10TV: Wearing a Mask Isn't About You

It's the big question circling everyone's minds these days, especially as restaurants and retail stores start opening back up: should I wear a face mask when I leave my home? Despite the political dilemma surrounding the decision to wear a mask, medical experts are urging everyone to continue wearing them, not for the safety of yourself, but to protect others. 

"People need to understand the science behind the mask and realize that COVID-19 is real, it’s here and it’s not going away," Joseph Gastaldo, MD, OhioHealth system medical director, infectious diseases, told 10TV reporter Brittany Bailey. "Either consciously or subconsciously, people may feel that COVID-19 is kind of going away or not even here anymore. That is not the case at all."

Dr. Gastaldo explained that wearing a mask is more about preventing the spread of COVID-19 to others. For example, an asymptomatic carrier of the virus could easily spread it through coughing, sneezing or talking loudly, all without even realizing it. Wearing a mask helps prevent that from happening.

"A lot of people still don’t realize that wearing a mask does not add any protection to the wearer," Dr. Gastaldo said. "People think that if you wear the mask, you’re actually protecting yourself from catching the virus, and that’s not what wearing a mask is all about. "

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