We have had this discussion to the point of nausea, right? Sorry, I’m back again to add to your angst! I recently visited an acute care facility where a family member was being cared for. I proudly donned my KN95 mask, used hand sanitizer at the entrance and went to the screening desk for a temperature check (yes, this added about 15 minutes to my visit time)! When I got to the screening desk I was told to go back to the entrance and put on a surgical mask, I was not allowed to wear my KN95 mask.

Per the staff member at the screening desk, the hospital follows the CDC guidance that surgical masks are preferred over N95 masks. Hmmm, per the CDC, they provide more protection from spreading COVID-19. In a recent article published in Becker’s Hospital Review, they asked the same question, why? The article quoted a bioethicist at the University of Pennsylvania as saying, “It’s baffling”, “this is something where the CDC has been on the wrong side for a long time” (recommending surgical masks over KN/N95s).

So, the debate continues, COVID-19 is waning but not gone, and the “experts” still have not reached a consensus on the best way to prevent the spread. Now I carry both surgical masks and KN95 masks in my toolkit, left the homemade cloth ones at home! Whatever you decide to do or wherever your travels take you, remember, the rules will change so be prepared! Stay the course, stay informed and be well!