Masks

Group of people masking

Protect Your Health

Masks

Masks may help offer protection against COVID-19, and its variants. If you choose to wear a mask, the CDC offers guidance [Español ]to help you achieve the best result.

Situations where you should always wear a mask:

  • If you have symptoms of COVID-19.
  • Until 10 days after a positive COVID-19 test and are around other people. Visit CDC’s website to see how you might be able to stop wearing a mask earlier.

Situations where you may choose wear a mask:

Masking based on COVID-19 Community Level

Community Levels are a tool that can help individuals and communities decide what prevention steps to protect themselves and others from COVID-19.

Low Community Level

Medium Community Level

High Community Level

  • CDC recommends that you wear a mask or respirator that provides you with greater protection, like an N95 or KN95 , indoors in public.

Certain people should not wear a mask:

  • Children under the age of 2 years should not wear a mask.
  • People should not wear masks while sleeping; masks should not be placed on any child when the child is sleeping.
  • People who have trouble breathing, are incapacitated, or who are otherwise unable to remove the mask without help should not wear a mask.
  • People with a disability who cannot wear a mask, or cannot safely wear a mask, for reasons related to the disability.

Masks should not be worn when participating in certain sport scenarios, including gymnastics, cheerleading (when tumbling/stunting), wrestling (unless mask use is closely supervised), swimming, diving, or other water sports. 

Page Last Reviewed: March 17, 2023

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