Nothing symbolizes our battle with the coronavirus like the face mask.

It’s the most visible, humbling and contentious reminder of the invisible invader that we must live with until we find a vaccine https://trib.al/nyCHbEr 

Initial guidance from health officials was confusing, with many saying masks were only necessary for medical professionals or people with symptoms.

As a result, mask-wearing in the West lagged far behind other precautions, such as hand-washing https://trib.al/nyCHbEr 

There’s an increasing amount of evidence that face masks are effective at:

Limiting the spread of exhaled virus-laden particles
Encouraging people to keep their distance

One study found an 85% reduction in infection risk when masked http://trib.al/nyCHbEr 

Looking at global mask-wearing habits, three distinct patterns emerge:

Most residents are used to wearing masks
Those that weren’t used to masks rapidly adapted
Residents are still lagging behind
http://trib.al/nyCHbEr 

All of the areas that had high mask usage to start with are in Asia, where the 2003 SARS outbreak is ingrained in people’s memories.

Japan gave cloth masks out to the public without a lockdown. That alone may have saved lives http://trib.al/nyCHbEr 

Elsewhere a theme emerges:

Face mask usage significantly rose after rules were established around wearing them http://trib.al/nyCHbEr 

In the U.S, state politicians & private companies have taken matters into their own hands:

All but 2 states have mask requirements
Chains like Walmart & McDonald’s require them

The result? 73% of people report wearing a mask “frequently” or “always” http://trib.al/nyCHbEr 

Experiences elsewhere underline the power of clear policies over gentle nudging, or relying on common sense.

These countries saw adoption rocket after they introduced clear mandates:

Germany
Mexico
Singapore http://trib.al/nyCHbEr 

Then there are the countries where mask usage has stayed low.

That includes Sweden, whose decision to keep the economy open has led to criticism and a considerably higher mortality rate http://trib.al/nyCHbEr 

Then there’s the U.K. Despite having the highest death toll in Europe, only 38% of those surveyed said they wear a mask, citing:

Staying home
Inconsistent guidance
Failure of leaders to be role models

The introduction of new rules may change that http://trib.al/nyCHbEr 

Even rules can become politicized though, as seen in the U.S. and Brazil.

Strongmen leaders don’t generally like face masks, either resisting wearing them (Trump) or watering down mask laws (Bolsonaro) http://trib.al/nyCHbEr 

Masks are gaining momentum as countries reopen their economies while battling a virus that’s still very much with us.

But widespread adoption will take time and effort http://trib.al/nyCHbEr 

Governments should lean toward more carrot-and-stick approaches:

Free or widely distributed masks
Clear government messaging on where and why masks are needed
Fines where necessary http://trib.al/nyCHbEr