masks Archives

In step with the CDC’s revised public health guidelines, the university will remove indoor mask requirements on its Boston campus. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

Northeastern lifting its mask mandate Saturday

In step with the CDC’s revised public health guidelines, the university will remove indoor mask requirements on its Boston campus. Face coverings will be optional in all settings beginning on Saturday, March 5, with the exception of University Health and Counseling Services.

by Eva Botkin-Kowacki March 1, 2022

New CDC guidance drops indoor mask recommendation for Boston, much of the country

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Friday new criteria for the metrics that local jurisdictions use to ease pandemic mitigation measures. “It’s moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach to a much more tailored approach,” says Neil Maniar, professor of public health practice at Northeastern.

by Eva Botkin-Kowacki February 25, 2022

A strong majority favor keeping indoor mask requirements even as several states are ending the requirement, according to a new survey by researchers from Northeastern and partner universities. The findings suggest many people will continue to wear masks in bars, restaurants, and other indoor venues. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

Is indoor mask-wearing still popular?

Wearing masks indoors is strongly supported nationwide, including in several blue states that plan to ditch the requirement soon, according to a new U.S. survey by researchers at Northeastern and partner universities. See which parts of the country are in favor of and opposed to wearing masks inside.

by Peter Ramjug February 17, 2022

Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University

How do I tell a fake N95 or KN95 from a real one?

Demand for the respirators has soared, and counterfeits are popping up for sale. Those fakes provide unreliable protection from COVID-19. Northeastern experts break down how to know whether or not you’re getting the real thing when shopping for masks.

by Eva Botkin-Kowacki January 21, 2022

Only 21% of people wore a high-quality mask such as the N95, according to a U.S. survey by Northeastern and other partner institutions. Cloth masks, gaiters, bandanas, and surgical masks remain the top choice of most people. Photo by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

N95, bandana, or something in between: Which masks are the most popular?

Masks remain a vital tool in limiting the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. Researchers from Northeastern and several partner institutions looked into which face masks are most preferred.

by Peter Ramjug January 19, 2022

Photo illustration of paper and cloth masks in the Northeastern studio on Monday, Dec. 20, 2021. Photo by Alyssa Stone/Northeastern University

Which is the best COVID-19 mask?

The threat of breakthrough infections brought on by the omicron variant has reinvigorated discourse about which face masks best protect you from the coronavirus. The answer, say Northeastern experts, is that it depends. Here are the factors to consider when putting on a mask.

by Eva Botkin-Kowacki December 23, 2021

A group of mechanical engineering students hang out in front of Snell Library.

Why do I feel like I still have to wear a mask?

The end of mask restrictions in much of the United States has put people who wore masks in a quandary. And yes, says Rory Smead, associate professor of philosophy at Northeastern, it’s awkward.

by Eva Botkin-Kowacki June 2, 2021

Pedestrians, some with masks, some without walk along the Las Vegas Strip on April 27, 2021

What do the new CDC mask guidelines mean?

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that people fully vaccinated for the coronavirus no longer need to wear masks in public. How does that gibe with state and local rules mandating mask-wearing? And how will the new guidelines affect the vaccination rate? Northeastern faculty in law and public health unravel these questions.

by Eva Botkin-Kowacki May 14, 2021

Visitors wear face masks while watching a presentation in a theater at the Aquarium of the Pacific on its first day of reopening to public in Long Beach, Calif. on March 16, 2021.

How soon will the COVID-19 pandemic end? It depends.

“It could be a matter of weeks,” says Alessandro Vespignani, whose team has created models projecting possible future outbreaks of COVID-19 in the U.S. for the CDC. But that depends on whether people’s real behavior continues to align with the Northeastern team’s scenarios.

by Eva Botkin-Kowacki May 5, 2021

Northeastern will ease mask mandates and other restrictions

On Friday, Northeastern will align with new state and CDC guidelines that allow people to forgo masks outdoors when the proper distancing can be maintained. And, starting Monday, fully vaccinated members of the Northeastern community will move to once-a-week testing.

by Peter Ramjug April 29, 2021

masks