Coronavirus outbreak: Mask or no mask? What the experts have to say

With masks in short supply, the argument is that everyone is better off if they are reserved for those who actually require them

Public health officials have been clear about it: There’s no need for healthy people to go around wearing face masks to protect themselves from the novel coronavirus. That hasn’t stopped a run on supplies, which has led to a shortage of face masks for medical personnel coping with the epidemic, who do need them. That news, in turn, has led many people to wonder why a mask that’s vital for protecting a nurse or a doctor wouldn’t help them too. Here’s what’s behind the confusion.

What do health officials say?

In its Covid-19 guidance, the World Health Organization says healthy people need