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Originally Posted by suzzer99
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Myth: Masks only protect others, not the wearer
Fact: Masks protect both the wearer and everyone around them
Initially, researchers thought cloth face masks only prevented the wearer from infecting people around them but didn’t actually protect the wearer. However, now scientists are starting to understand that the masks serve an important purpose for the wearer: decreasing how much virus they’re exposed to.
If you’re wearing a mask and are near someone who’s sick, your mask will prevent a significant amount of droplets from the sick person from getting in your nose and mouth.
“The amount of virus you get may correlate to how ill you get. Even if someone cuts down exposure but doesn’t avoid it, their illness may be milder,” Harris explains.