Non-N95 and DIY masks are also very helpful, but the dogged "you only need to wear one if you're sick or caring for someone who is" advice discourages even this

Non-N95 and DIY masks are also very helpful, but the dogged "you only need to wear one if you're sick or caring for someone who is" advice discourages even this level of prevention, and makes the disease seem less serious and contagious than it really is. It's counterproductive to lie and say "masks don't work" when what you really mean is "we need N95 masks for frontline workers."