COVID-19 Wear a mask? Yes, always wear a mask. Wear a mask whenever you are in public to help curb the spread of COVID-19, and encourage others to do the same. Widespread mask use may temper or even help prevent a second wave of the pandemic. We considered more than 20 studies and ran a meta-analysis. The results show that masks work, but survey data reveal that mask use varies. Globally, mask use has increased since April 26, 2020, but some countries still lag. Mask use in the US has increased since April 26, 2020, but rates vary by state and region. Whether cloth or medical-grade, masks can reduce the risk of respiratory illnesses like COVID-19 by 40–50% Mask use around the world, April 26 and June 2 Percent of people who say they always wear a mask when going out, April 26 > 80% 30–40% 70–80% 20–30% 60–70% 10–20% 50–60% < 10% 40–50% No data Data sources: Premise, Facebook Global symptom survey (UMD) Percent of people who say they always wear a mask when going out, June 2 > 80% 30–40% 70–80% 20–30% 60–70% 10–20% 50–60% < 10% 40–50% No data Data sources: Premise, Facebook Global symptom survey (UMD) Despite having been hit hard by COVID-19, the UK and Sweden have markedly low reported mask usage compared to other European countries. US states and Canada stand out for their low levels of mask usage compared to many countries in Asia and South America. Mask use has increased in Mexico, Brazil, and South Africa, while across Northern Europe, rates are low and flat. Mask use in the US, June 2 80% The COVID-19 pandemic is waning in Spain and South Korea, yet mask use is on the rise. report sometimes or always wearing a mask Percent of people who say they always wear a mask when going out, June 2 20% say they never wear a mask The northeast region has high rates of reported mask use. 50–60% 40–50% 30–40% 20–30% 10–20% < 10% Blocks of states in the southeast (North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Kentucky) and Midwest (Wisconsin and Indiana) have low rates of mask use. Even as mobility has increased and social distancing guidelines relaxed, mask use in the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, and Iowa has dropped. Data sources: Premise, Facebook Global symptom survey (UMD) covid19.healthdata.org