TIMES RECORD • January 12, 2021
Wearing face masks helps prevents the spread of Covid. Single-use disposable masks are the most common but are an environmental hazard in several ways. They are manufactured using man-made fabric. Those materials deliver a large quantity of microfibers when we dispose of them. The World Health Organization recommends cloth masks for the general population, except where underlying conditions or high risk dictate medical-grade protection. Some places, such as Parkview Medical Center in Brunswick have offered free cloth masks in their lobby. Social distancing is still a vital part of our virus protection protocols, but a well-fitted cloth mask is generally a better choice for our wallets and our environment.