I've heard conflicting reports as to who should wear protective masks during the coronavirus pandemic.

The WHO says that only if you are infected should you wear a mask "if you are sick or caring for someone who is sick".  President Trump, today, said that it might be a good idea if everyone wore a mask. The CDC advises that masks should only be worn by healthcare workers/caregivers.

One of the reasons for people to not wear masks nationwide, as was discussed in this story from CNN, was to not create a shortage of masks for the frontline healthcare workers. Those individuals need to be protected and kept as well as possible because they need to tend to the sick and injured.

This discussion on a local Reddit thread asks for people's opinions on wearing masks in public, and whether people will think he is "silly" for wearing a mask.

Here's the deal: do what you think is best to protect yourself and your family. If you own a respirator or mask that will protect you and help protect others, by all means, wear the thing.

The best advice right now is this: stay home. If everyone could stay home and not come into contact with another human outside of your household for 14 days, this outbreak will diminish some. 14 days will give the symptoms time to present themselves and, if they do, you need to seek medical help.

If you MUST get out and are afraid of acquiring the disease, wear a mask, wear gloves - heck, wear a trash bag on each foot; just give a wide berth for others, cover your cough/sneeze, and don't touch your face.

(CNN)

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