Do I Need to Wear a Face Mask While Running?
This is a rapidly developing situation. For the most up-to-date information, check resources like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) regularly. This story will be updated as new information becomes available.
Amid the impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on day-to-day life, the option to run outside—solo or with someone in your household—has remained. Your runs should be in areas where you can be alone or maintain at least six feet between yourself and others to reduce the risk of spreading the virus. (If you’re not feeling well, it’s best to stay home.)
But now, CDC guidelines recommend “wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) to help reduce the spread of the virus from spreading between people interacting in close proximity.”
Before those updates, some state governments, including those in California and Pennsylvania, suggested that everyone wear cloth face masks when they go out in public for essential activities to help prevent those who are asymptomatic from spreading the virus. Some cities, such as like Boston, suggest wearing masks anytime you go outside. And, the World Health Organization (WHO) has more resources on how to properly use masks.
What do all these recommendations about masks mean for runners?
“Really, what these announcements should mean to athletes, and to everyone, is that the situation we are in is very serious. And that we all need to consider the consequences of our individual actions on the community around us,” said Matt Ferrari Ph.D., associate professor of biology in the Eberly College of Science, and a researcher with the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics at Penn State.
The purpose of the mask is not to protect you, but to protect other people from you. “If that is the goal, going out solo and avoiding other people altogether is the best thing you can do,” said Brian Labus, Ph.D., M.P.H., assistant professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Nevada Las Vegas.
This means avoiding crowded areas. Even if you get to your regular route and there are other people there, you should find a different place to go or adjust the time you run in the future for the safety of everyone.
For example, the Pennsylvania guidelines state that masks “should not be worn damp or when wet from spit or mucus.” In a press conference on April 3, Rachel Levine, M.D., Pennsylvania’s secretary of health, suggested that cloth face coverings may not be necessary when out for solo exercise if you’ll be in a place where you won’t encounter anyone else. There is no advantage to wearing a face covering if you aren’t going to be near people at all, explained Ferrari.
“And that’s what we should be striving for, keeping big distances,” Ferrari said. “Face coverings do two possible things—they contain spread from the ill and prevent inhalation in the healthy. The degree to which they achieve these things is debated, but one thing is not: they are only effective if used properly. And most people are not trained to use masks properly. Even taking a mask on and off incorrectly can be risky and increase your hand-to-mouth exposure.”
But even if runners are trying to practice physical distancing and run solo, we know that’s not always possible—especially on popular routes and trails. If you’re looking to wear a covering on your runs in an area where you may encounter others, wearing a Buff gaiter or other moisture-wicking face covering may help cut down on droplets being spread to others because of heavy breathing, coughing, and sneezing, said David Nieman, Dr.PH., health professor at Appalachian State University and director of the Human Performance Lab at the North Carolina Research Campus.
In general, if you feel more comfortable running with a cloth mask on, and think having it on will make others more comfortable, you probably should.
“This virus is highly contagious and transmissible, and it appears we cannot be too careful,” Nieman said.
It’s important to note the CDC guidelines recommend wearing cloth face coverings, not surgical masks or N-95 respirators, which should be saved for healthcare professionals. Instead, these cloth face coverings can be made from household items like a bandana, T-shirt, or pillow case. (Tutorials can be found here.)
Masks should fit snugly over the nose and mouth, not be touched once placed on the face, and washed or discarded immediately after each use. (More helpful information from the Pennsylvania Department of Health on masks can be found here.)
It is critical to emphasize that maintaining social distancing of at least six feet remains vital to slowing the spread of the virus. Also, wearing a cloth face covering is not a substitute for hand washing, physical distancing, or remaining at home when ill. Check your local government recommendations for guidance. You can find a directory of state health departments here.
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