Should Californians change what masks they wear — and how — with new COVID variants circulating?

A front door sign at a business in Culver City, California, reminds customers to wear their masks. January 21, 2021.

A front door sign at a business in Culver City, California, reminds customers to wear their masks. January 21, 2021. Photo by Amy Ta/KCRW

Masks have become a critical part of our daily routine. Every time we leave the house, we have to go through the mental checklist: wallet, keys, phone, mask(s). But the efficacy of masks can vary a lot. With new and more contagious variants of the coronavirus circulating in California, some researchers say we may need to adjust how we’re masking up.

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Credits

Guest:
Dr. Monica Gandhi - an infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco, co-author of a paper about the importance of face masks for COVID-19

Host:
Madeleine Brand

Producers:
Sarah Sweeney, Angie Perrin, Michell Eloy, Amy Ta, Rosalie Atkinson, Brian Hardzinski, Bennett Purser