Should we wear face masks?

Claire Horwell in our Department of Earth Sciences and Fiona McDonald in the Faculty of Law at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) , Australia, consider the mixed messages behind face mask use during the Covid-19 pandemic. Should you wear a face mask when you leave your house? It's the question no one seems to agree on. In France, the government originally said masks were unnecessary, but this week has made it mandatory to wear them on public transport and in secondary schools and is distributing masks through supermarkets and pharmacies. The UK government says it is still considering evidence on mask-wearing and is holding out on a recommendation, yet Scotland has already recommended that people cover their faces when in public spaces. Meanwhile, in Michigan , a security guard has been shot and killed in a dispute over a requirement to wear a mask inside a store. For its part, the World Health Organization (WHO) has not recommended the use of masks for healthy members of the public unless they are taking care of a COVID-19 patient. This conflict in public health advice is confusing for the public.