Masks in the Age of COVID-19: Clearing the Confusion

There is still confusion and conflicting information surrounding the use of masks among the medical community. When should masks be used, what type is best, and do they afford enough protection?

"As a medical director, I’ve done a number of webinars with my EMS providers to answer their COVID-19 questions," Kenneth Scheppke, MD, FAEMS, state EMS medical director for the Florida Dept. of Health, tells EMS World. "The issue of masks came up constantly. They asked, 'why do we need to wear these in the station? What’s the difference between cloth and surgical? Why does there seem to be conflicting guidance about it over time?'"

There is still misunderstanding surrounding best practices for wearing masks, adds Scheppke. "I want to be clear about why it’s important, arm folks with information, and help them understand why we as a country should be wearing cloth masks to help mitigate the virus’ spread."

Scheppke presents the most up-to-date guidelines from the CDC in this comprehensive video courtesy of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue.