INDIANAPOLIS — Face masks are mandatory across Indiana. We are getting lots of questions about which masks are the best, who doesn't have to wear them and what happens when masks get wet.
Our Verify team came up with some surprising answers.
What type of mask should people wear?
Disposable or reusable? How to mask up is among the toughest question literally facing every Hoosier.
"We have a supply of disposable masks and wonder if they are as effective as the cloth kind," one viewer pondered.
So we asked the question to the Nursing Director of Infection Prevention at IU Health, Kristen Kelley.
"For the general public, cloth masks work great," she said.
Kelley said that some studies give the medical grade paper masks a slight advantage.
"What the CDC prefers is that cloth masks are great for the general public, and the medical grade should be reserved for those working in the hospital," she said.
What happens if the mask gets wet?
Another viewer wondered how effective masks are if they get wet.
"We recommend if a face mask is wet, you replace it as soon as you are able," Kelley said assuming the mask was made of paper. "It can interfere with the effectiveness of the mask. Water can cause a paper mask to tear or lose it's shape."
Should people with asthma wear masks?
Other 13News viewers wanted to know if asthmatics should wear face masks.
According to Gov. Eric Holcomb's order, anyone with a medical condition, mental health issue or disability, which prevents wearing a face covering, doesn't need to wear one. The CDC recommends that anyone who has trouble breathing should not wear a cloth face mask.
Kelley's son is asthmatic. She knows a mask can be uncomfortable but wants him to wear one anyway.
"I do encourage him to wear it just because COVID does tend to cause more serious signs and symptoms in asthmatic kids and patients," she said.
We can't verify whether people with asthma should or shouldn't wear masks. Consult your doctor.
Have something we should verify? Send us your questions.