CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Just because some folks ditch their masks doesn't mean you must drop yours.
Let's connect the dots.
Finally, the moment many have been waiting for: no more mask mandates in a lot of places.
For some, the mask gives a layer of personal protection. And for them, there's the good news. "One-way masking" seems to be effective.
That's the term for when you're the only one wearing a mask in a public setting.
Public health experts say universal masking and vaccinations will always be the best-case scenario, but if you're the only one still sporting your mask, it can give you some protection.
A CDC mask study revealed that wearing a good-quality, well-fitted N95 or KN95 mask can reduce the odds of testing positive for COVID-19 by 83%
Moving forward, it gives some folks peace of mind, while allowing others a long-awaited return to normalcy.
WCNC Charlotte is part of seven major media companies and other local institutions reporting on and engaging the community around the problems and solutions as they relate to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a project of the Charlotte Journalism Collaborative, which is supported by the Local Media Project, an initiative launched by the Solutions Journalism Network with support from the Knight Foundation to strengthen and reinvigorate local media ecosystems. See all of our reporting at charlottejournalism.org.