Face masks: To wear or not to wear during an outbreak?

qubit(US)

A surgical mask is better than no protection at all and also prevents dirty hands from touching the face. Combined with recommended hygiene practice of washing hands regularly, it can improve odds of not being infected.

N95 masks are relatively expensive and required for only extreme circumstances. The ones with the exhalation valve are the best to prevent overheating and ease breathing.

Masks are often worn in Far East Asian countries as a means to not only prevent infection, but transmission to others. As it is not always possible, nor realistic, for everyone to stay at home and quarantine themselves over a slight cold, wearing a mask is a good compromise to mitigate transmission while being considerate of others.