Illustration of a woman with a face mask
COVID, Prevention, Public Health

Yes, masks reduce the risk of spreading COVID, despite a review saying they don’t

An updated Cochrane Review published last week is the latest to suggest face masks don’t work in the community.

However there are problems with the review’s methodology and its underpinning assumptions about transmission. Well-designed real-world studies during the pandemic showed any mask reduces the risk of COVID transmission by 50–80%, with the highest protection offered by N95 respirators.

Coronavirus, Prevention, Public Health

What King County’s mask mandate rollback means for you

Starting Saturday, March 12, King County will stop requiring masks in many indoor public spaces. Individuals will now be able to make their own choices as to whether they want to continue wearing masks, and businesses may decide whether they want to require employees and customers to wear masks. In practice, what does this mean for you?