1) I was specifically referring to medical professionals working with Covid-19 patients. I had assumed it would be obvious, since that's what we were discussing

1) I was specifically referring to medical professionals working with Covid-19 patients. I had assumed it would be obvious, since that's what we were discussing, but clearly that was a poor assumption. 2) That said, even if you're talking about all medical workers, I think you still may be wrong. All dentists that I know locally (2) are wearing gowns, and say their colleagues are, at least those who haven't closed down temporarily. And many other doctors and nurses who aren't working specifically with Covid-19 patients, but who still come into contact with them, are wearing isolation gowns. They're taking the same kind of universal precautions they do for HIV prevention, and assuming that any given patient may be carrying the disease. Given what we are learning about asymptomatic transmission, that's probably a wise approach. 3) Importantly, you appear to have missed the fact that I was making an analogy, not encouraging the general public to wear gowns (I'm not!). You write "There's a big difference between being a medical worker in a room with 12 people who have confirmed covid-19 infection who are unwell and probably coughing, and being a member of the public walking about outside." But that was not and has never been my argument. My argument was, a similar mechanism of action is in the effect of medical professionals wearing gowns, and of the general public washing clothes after being out in public among probably Covid-19 carriers. Clearly, doctors believe there's some kind of benefit to protecting your clothing from the SARS-CoV-2 virus, or they wouldn't bother wearing gowns in Covid-19 wards (and elsewhere, as mentioned above!). All that said, the most important thing to do is to social distance, and stay home unless you must go out. But lots of people have to go out, and for them, a mask is a very good idea, and CDC-recommended.