REACTION PAPER

Face masks are undeniably in-demand because of what’s happening around the world,
some studies agreed that it could decrease the number of COVID-19 deaths, like what I have
read from the article from Marlowe Hood and Agence France-Presse, “Masks could cut COVID-
19 deaths in the US by 130,000: study.” There they include the study of the COVID-19
forecasting team from Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) about how their
research found out that wearing mask could reduce the projections that death toll could reach
511,000 by the end of February 2021 to 130,000. Many studies proved that those wearing mask
have a higher prevention from the virus compared to just having a social distancing.

As we all know, many countries are still affected by COVID-19 and a vaccine is yet to be
found. So governments take immediate solutions to this month-long crisis. The U.S is included
to the most affected countries and the confirmed cases across the nation reached 8.4 million
and 223,000 deaths since January 2020 up until October, 2020. Donald Trump implemented the
use of mask to the public but still the percentage of people who wears them is just 50% in spite
of politicians declaring its efficiency. So the IHME modelers’ prediction of having 224,000
deaths by November 1 might still come true.

In my opinion, social distancing, implemented also by the government, is not enough for
us to be safe from the virus. This claim is supported of the IHME’s data that it is still possible to
have a massive increase of death toll despite of having a social distancing. A simple gesture of
wearing mask can decrease the risk of spreading the virus. As we can see, Korea has a fewer
reported cases of COVID-19 and their most effective preventive measures is wearing mask.
Some international survey reported that 94% of Korean population are wearing mask and the
highest rate among 28 countries. So if the U.S could pursue 95% of the adult population to wear
mask, the estimated decrease death toll of 130,000 might actually happen.

As I noticed, discipline is also a factor in this matter. Koreans are more disciplined
compared to Western people. The simple prevention to this crisis is just to listen to what
researchers studied, that wearing mask could prevent us in acquiring the virus. If we want our
country and ourselves to survive in this pandemic, a simple measurement we could do is just to
wear a piece of cloth that is harmless for our health. As what Hood and Presses’ included on
their published article last Saturday, October 24, "Universal mask use could save an additional
129,574 lives from September 22, 2020 through the end of February 2021." This statement is
concluded by the researchers from IHME. Considering the presented data, I have to agree that
preventive measurements like wearing masks, proper social distancing and hand-washing could
be a stepping stone for us to control the spreading of COVID-19.