To Wear a Face Mask or Not to Wear a Face Mask? That is the Question for Many

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Dr. Nirav Shah, Director of MaineCDC, at Recent Briefing.

For This Couple There was no Question as to Whether or not to Wear Masks.

A Young Man Wearing a Protective Mask at this Hannaford Brothers in South Portland Today.  (He Assured mhn.com That He’s Not a Terrorist, but Only for the COVID-19).

Many people are unclear as to whether or not to wear face masks, although more and more people are wearing them in public.   People are looking for professional direction on whether to wear one or not.  Keep looking for it!

At his daily COVID-19 briefing this morning, Dr. Nirav Shah, Director MaineCDC, said he was not going to make a statement as to whether or not Mainers should wear face masks – regardless of the fabric they are made of.  However, he did caution against considering face masks a substitute for other precautions in place like physical distancing, hand washing and staying home when you don’t feel well.

Physical distancing is seen by Dr. Shah as the “best vaccine we have.”

However, on the downside, Dr. Shah said that the use of face masks could lead people to touch their faces more – not the desired result.

At the outset of the briefing, Dr. Shah said that two more people have succumbed to COVID-19 since yesterday.  That brings the total up to nine deceased in Maine.  One was a man in his 70s.   The other a woman was in her 80s.   Both were from Cumberland County.  It was not revealed whether or not the two deceased had underlining health issues.

Dr. Shah also said that there are 432 confirmed cases in Maine.  Additionally, seventy-five of the confirmed cases are health care workers which he said is in line with what other states are experiencing.

Traffic in Cumberland County has been reduced by 50% because of the restrictions placed on Mainers; a boon for the climate.

Yesterday Dr. Shah announced that Maine had ordered 300,000 N95 masks.  Today he said he does not know whether or not that order will be filled because there is a lot of international competition for them.  The delivery date is April 20th.

Trying to reassure Mainers. Dr. Shah said it’s okay not to feel good.  “We are in control even if it doesn’t feel that way,” he said.  “We get to write the final chapter.”