I think it's great that Anchorage has instituted a mandate to wear masks when in indoor public places as a way to slow the spread of COVID-19. But, from what I've seen, it's not clear that everyone understands what it means to wear a mask properly.
I regularly see people with masks covering their mouth but not their nose. That's pretty much the same as not wearing a mask, because you can exhale and inhale the virus through your nose. I also see people wearing masks around their chins, without covering the nose or their mouth. They might as well have left their masks home.
From what I've seen, management in stores, take-out restaurants and fitness centers are being pretty good about telling customers that masks are required. But they are not so good about assuring that their clientele wear masks properly.
With case numbers on the rise, we would all be safer if everyone wore their masks over their mouth and nose whenever in an indoor public place.
Barry D. Weiss, M.D.
Anchorage
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