1,170,000 people dead. 1.17×10^6 people lost their lives. 1.17 million people have been laid to rest because of COVID-19. Roughly 44.1 million other people have contracted COVID-19 (Johns Hopkins).

All of these stats and people still continue to be reluctant toward wearing masks.

According to the CDC, COVID-19 particles are spread through respiratory droplets. If people who have COVID-19–whether they are carriers or are actually symptomatic—wear masks, then the virus will not spread to as many people.

Over the last eight months, masks have been a very “controversial” topic.

“It’s against my freedoms guaranteed from America.”

“They are uncomfortable.”

“They make it challenging to breathe.”

“COVID-19 is a hoax.”

If masks were so challenging to breathe in, how do doctors wear masks daily, even without a pandemic? How do people in other countries and cultures wear masks if they have a cold or the flu? If masks made it so people couldn’t breathe, why would people make the suggestion?

I understand that there are conditions that make masks unwearable, like PTSD or a condition like lung cancer, but these people should try to stay away from crowds or any person they are not living with.

If COVID-19 is a hoax, what have the 1.17 million people who have died because of? These people had families, jobs, and lives. They died due to a virus or underlying conditions worsened due to the virus. If COVID-19 is a hoax, why is the entire world being affected by it? Did the world leaders want to make a prank?

With the pandemic that is indeed real, scientists have been busy trying to figure out various topics relating to it.

One review by numerous scientists states that many studies have shown that wearing masks reduce the likelihood of aerosol transmission by 49-86% for homemade masks, and 89% for surgical masks.

Now, this may seem insignificant, but much of our exported particles are not aerosol. It is mainly droplets that may get changed into smaller particles that last longer in the air.

Also, with these studies, there is at least a 49% reduction in transmission. This means that they protect others around you from getting the virus (Scientist from UCSF).

COVID-19 is real.

It is transmitted through respiratory droplets, and one of the most effective ways to stop transmission is to wear a mask.

Don’t be a killer.