Now that the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic seems to be behind us, it’s tempting to let our guards (and masks) down, especially for those who are up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations. But if there’s one thing we all learned from the height of the pandemic, it’s that wearing a mask is effective at preventing the spread of respiratory viruses such as COVID-19 and other coronaviruses, influenza (flu), rhinovirus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
So even though we may feel that we’re protected, should we still wear a mask to keep ourselves safe from serious illness? My Southern Health asked infectious disease expert William Schaffner, M. D., a professor of Preventive Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, to shine a light on who might benefit from an extra level of protection this season. Read his answers in this story.
