I have a years-old habit of checking that I have my wallet, house keys, and cell phone before leaving the house. 2020 added a new item to the “Can’t Leave Home Without” list: a mask. There have been too many times to count where I have stepped outside my home, only to run back upstairs to grab my forgotten mask. I have a few clean masks stashed in my car, and various backpacks so I’m never without one.
There are many types of masks, both store-bought and homemade. On September 25, 2020, we asked Citizen Scientists, “Which type of mask do you usually wear outside the home?”
“Surgical” = 2,869
“Valved N95” = 177
“Fitted N95, no valve” = 649
“Knitted” = 293
“Cotton, single or double layer” = 9,056
“Gaiter-type neck fleece” = 302
“Bandana, single or double layer” = 164
“I don’t know” = 65
“I don’t wear a mask outside the home” = 84
“Other” = 569
Thanks for wearing a mask to keep others safe!
Total responders 12,514*
*1,403 people indicated wearing more than one type of mask, so the sum of all mask types is greater than the number of people who responded to the question.
