It’s mandatory to wear masks in Malaysia. Surgical, medical, fabric or respirator masks. In all public places. Indoors like shopping malls and restaurants. Outdoors including parks and while walking along roads. The exceptions are when travelling in your own private car, and when engaging in physical exercise like jogging in the open air.

There is some ambiguity but most situations require masking up. Especially with the emergence of more virulent Covid-19 variants like Delta and Omicron, the worrying number of daily cases and the higher than 1.0 R-naught or R0 figure. What is and what does the oft-mentioned R-naught mean? The R0/Rt data projects the average number of people that each new Covid-19 patient will infect. Rt means the effective reproduction number. An Rt of less than 1.0 means the infection is not spreading[1].

Until we reach and maintain that below 1.0 number, masking up will be the order of the day for the foreseeable future. Together with the equally important Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) of hand washing, physical distancing and avoiding busy and crowded places, whenever possible. All of these will require the collective efforts of individuals, families, communities, local authorities and the Government to really work.

I follow SOPs. Why? Because I care for my health, my family’s well-being and the welfare of the people I come in contact with. Because I’ve read and seen enough to accept that Covid-19 is a threat that continues to destroy lives, devastate families and damage livelihoods. Because, I don’t want to part with money (for fines) that I have better use for.

For me, a mask is an easy, doable layer of defense against this scourge. Not a fan but when needs must, I put one on. However, not all masks are created equal as was revealed by a study on 14 types of face masks and coverings published in the Science Advances academic journal. It found that a fitted N95 mask with no valves was the most effective face mask to curb the risk of Covid-19. Why? Because it recorded a droplet transmission fraction of 0.1 per cent. In second place was surgical masks. In third place was polypropylene masks. The increasingly popular handmade cotton face masks also fared well. They were found to eliminate a substantial number of droplets from normal speech.

While the least effective form of face mask was a neck fleece. It increased the risk of infection and recorded a droplet transmission fraction of a whopping 110 per cent. Bandanas came in second as the worst-performing face-covering although it didn’t increase the risk of infection while third worst was a knitted covering.

Researchers of the study said, “We want to emphasise that we really encourage people to wear masks, but we want them to wear masks that actually work… We confirmed that when people speak, small droplets get expelled, so disease can be spread by talking, without coughing or sneezing…We could also see that some face coverings performed much better than others in blocking expelled particles[2].”

Hence, it makes sense not to shout and/or speak loudly in close proximity or while at restaurants, pubs and cafes or anywhere indoors where air circulation is a bit suspect. As well as in crowded places like public transport, wet markets and supermarkets when physical distancing isn’t always possible.

I agree with the study’s findings on the relevance and importance of masks in fighting Covid-19. That said wearing a mask in hot and humid Malaysia is a sweaty affair. Its stifling and uncomfortable to have a sheath of material covering a large portion of my face. My face feels encumbered. It’s difficult to breath with my mouth and nose covered and pressed down tightly. I can’t enjoy any breeze, when it happens, which is quite rare. Sometimes, it’s difficult to have a conversation as words are muffled and/or missed.

What to do? Make the most of masking. There are a few upsides. It does help keep most of the sun off my face. It also hides my laugh lines and jowls. No need for lipstick. Not that I bother too much.  But the eyebrows and eyes need a little more attention. The other advantage is speaking to and having discussions with myself whilst walking outdoors. Without actually worrying about appearing like I’m talking to myself. I did a lot of this at one point. Also, I find I can make disapproving expressions without caring too much about anyone finding out, and best of all not being embarrassed by food like black sesame seed and/or spinach stuck in my teeth after eating out at a cafe or restaurant.

Obviously, it’s easier and less cumbersome not to wear a mask. But, the current situation demands it. So, what to do? Mask up.