Regardless of where you live and the situation in your community, the risk still exists. It’s on you to ensure you’re keeping your guard up and taking action to limit your risk of contracting the virus.
Wearing a mask is recommended and has become a reality for many communities. Most retail locations aren’t allowing customers inside without one, while some municipalities have enacted laws to ensure citizens are masked indoors.
But do these measures make people less likely to comply with other preventative measures like social distancing and handwashing?
Not according to a new study. Thankfully, an analysis conducted by researchers at the University of Cambridge found that mask-wearing did not enhance “risk compensation.” They found that mask-wearing did not diminish hand-washing, and in some cases, it even enhanced it.
And that’s good news. It means that despite the World Health Organization’s (WHO) and other health departments’ fears, mask-wearing is generally not providing a false sense of security. Hand washing and social distancing remain two essential factors in preventing the spread of the COVID-19.
So remember to wash your hands when you return home and sanitize them before getting in your car or after touching any doors, display items, etc. that you may encounter when you’re out and about. Also, wash or sanitize hands before and after removing your mask.
By continuing to be diligent and careful, you give yourself a better chance of steering clear of the coronavirus. It appears that we will be living with the virus for a long time, so complacency can have devastating consequences.
As businesses and towns reopen, it can be very easy to forget that there is an invisible virus circulating. Do your best to stay on top of your hand hygiene even if you’re wearing a mask and doing your best to social distance.