Latest news with #DavidWohl
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
California looters now face 'hard-charging' consequences after blue state abandoned soft-on-crime approach
Amid the continuing unrest and flash mob-style looting incidents in Los Angeles, California is making a significant pivot toward tougher criminal enforcement. Criminal defense attorney David Wohl told Fox News Digital that the legal consequences are no longer a slap on the wrist for looters following the reversal of Proposition 47, which notably did not criminalize theft under $950. "Now we have a very conservative, hard-charging DA in Los Angeles," Wohl said. "He's adding up what is stolen by each individual co-defendant, and if that's over $950, everybody's getting charged with felonies." In a city once known for turning a blind eye to petty theft and soft prosecution, looters who are taking advantage of protests over federal immigration operations now face stricter penalties. California's Soros-backed Progressive Experiment Collapses After A Decade In 2014, California voters approved Proposition 47, a ballot initiative that reclassified several nonviolent felonies, including shoplifting, theft and drug possession, as misdemeanors if the value involved was $950 or less. Read On The Fox News App Supporters argued the measure would reduce prison overcrowding and redirect state funds to additional programming. Critics argued that it contributed to a noticeable increase in retail theft and emboldened looters. In 2024, voters voiced their concerns and overwhelmingly chose a sharp course correction from the progressive reforms that Proposition 47 implemented and voted in favor of Proposition 36. Prop 36 restored the ability to file felony charges against repeat offenders, regardless of whether their latest crime falls under the $950 limit. It also enhances penalties for group theft and organized looting, which had previously fallen into legal gray zones under Prop 47. The shift stems from a growing rejection of the previous criminal justice model championed by former District Attorney George Gascon, who Wohl described as "more liberal than a lot of public defenders." Under Gascon's leadership, prosecution was often delayed or diminished, with an emphasis on giving offenders "second, third, fourth, fifth chances," Wohl said. Los Angeles Officials Still On 'Progressive Warpath' Despite Overwhelming Voter Rebuke Of Leftist Policies William Jacobson, a law professor at Cornell University and founder of offered a sharp critique of California's criminal justice policies in light of the emergence of looters during the ongoing L.A. protests against immigration enforcement. "Looting and violence have always been illegal, even in California," Jacobson told Fox News Digital. "Unfortunately, California's lax enforcement of the criminal laws, including the former decriminalization of shoplifting, has created a culture of criminality that has played out in numerous riots over the years." "The current riots against immigration enforcement and violence targeting both ICE and the community are part of the California political ecosystem," he said. Several stores across downtown Los Angeles were hit by looters in the early morning hours as anti-ICE riots continued. On Monday night, looters took to the streets and ransacked a series of storefronts, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed with Fox News Digital. Apple and Adidas were among the stores hit by thieves, as well as several mom-and-pop shops. "What have they done to my business? I don't know," one local business owner shared with Fox News affiliate KKTV. "I have to go inside and see what's going on. I don't know what they have done with the business." WATCH: One video, taken by Brendan Gutenschwager, captured looters ransacking an Apple storefront on Monday night. The video captured a slew of individuals dashing up to the technology storefront and grabbing goods before dispersing as police arrived. The footage captured the store's glass windows spray-painted with "F--- ICE." Other photos showed ransackers disappearing into the night with stolen goods after a smash-and-grab in Compton, a city south of Los Angeles. It was unclear if the thieves were participating in the ongoing anti-ICE protests or if they were being opportunistic of the city's unrest. "Let me be clear: ANYONE who vandalized Downtown or looted stores does not care about our immigrant communities," Mayor Karen Bass said in a post to X. "You will be held accountable." On Tuesday and Wednesday, after continued protests, other businesses set out to protect their stores. Fox News Digital saw a T-Mobile store on the corner of 3rd Street and Broadway boarding up ahead of likely another night of protests in the city. While a security guard protected the property, a repairer worked on the CVS store on the corner of 7th and Spring streets in downtown Los Angeles after several nights of rioting. Attorney General Pam Bondi offered a blunt message to would-be robbers and looters in the deep-blue city on "Fox & Friends" Tuesday. "If you loot a business in California during this, we're charging you with robbery under the Hobbs Act. No longer are the days of non-prosecution for looting. It's a criminal act," she said. The administration is also determined to crack down on those who inflict harm on law enforcement. "We've all made over 190 arrests, [and] more [are] coming. If you hit a police officer, you assault a police officer, state or federal, we are coming after you."Original article source: California looters now face 'hard-charging' consequences after blue state abandoned soft-on-crime approach
New York Post
12-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
California looters now face ‘hard-charging' consequences after blue state abandoned soft-on-crime approach
Amid the continuing unrest and flash mob-style looting incidents in Los Angeles, California is making a significant pivot toward tougher criminal enforcement. Criminal defense attorney David Wohl told Fox News Digital that the legal consequences are no longer a slap on the wrist for looters following the reversal of Proposition 47, which notably did not criminalize theft under $950. Advertisement 'Now we have a very conservative, hard-charging DA in Los Angeles,' Wohl said. 'He's adding up what is stolen by each individual co-defendant, and if that's over $950, everybody's getting charged with felonies.' In a city once known for turning a blind eye to petty theft and soft prosecution, looters who are taking advantage of protests over federal immigration operations now face stricter penalties. In 2014, California voters approved Proposition 47, a ballot initiative that reclassified several nonviolent felonies, including shoplifting, theft and drug possession, as misdemeanors if the value involved was $950 or less. Supporters argued the measure would reduce prison overcrowding and redirect state funds to additional programming. Advertisement 8 Vulgar graffiti was spray-painted onto an Apple store after it was looted during the riots in Los Angeles on June 10, 2025. REUTERS 8 Protesters loot a gas station convenience store in Paramount, California on June 7, 2025. Getty Images Critics argued that it contributed to a noticeable increase in retail theft and emboldened looters. In 2024, voters voiced their concerns and overwhelmingly chose a sharp course correction from the progressive reforms that Proposition 47 implemented and voted in favor of Proposition 36. Advertisement Prop 36 restored the ability to file felony charges against repeat offenders, regardless of whether their latest crime falls under the $950 limit. It also enhances penalties for group theft and organized looting, which had previously fallen into legal gray zones under Prop 47. 8 Police officers detain a group of protesters in the streets of Los Angeles on June 11, 2025. AFP via Getty Images The shift stems from a growing rejection of the previous criminal justice model championed by former District Attorney George Gascon, who Wohl described as 'more liberal than a lot of public defenders.' Advertisement Under Gascon's leadership, prosecution was often delayed or diminished, with an emphasis on giving offenders 'second, third, fourth, fifth chances,' Wohl said. William Jacobson, a law professor at Cornell University and founder of offered a sharp critique of California's criminal justice policies in light of the emergence of looters during the ongoing L.A. protests against immigration enforcement. 8 Graffiti is sprayed onto the glass windows of an Apple store hit by looters during the Anti-ICE riots in California. REUTERS 8 Apple products are scattered around a store that was looted during the Los Angeles riots on June 9, 2025. REUTERS 'Looting and violence have always been illegal, even in California,' Jacobson told Fox News Digital. 'Unfortunately, California's lax enforcement of the criminal laws, including the former decriminalization of shoplifting, has created a culture of criminality that has played out in numerous riots over the years.' 'The current riots against immigration enforcement and violence targeting both ICE and the community are part of the California political ecosystem,' he said. Looters in LA Several stores across downtown Los Angeles were hit by looters in the early morning hours as anti-ICE riots continued. On Monday night, looters took to the streets and ransacked a series of storefronts, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed with Fox News Digital. Apple and Adidas were among the stores hit by thieves, as well as several mom-and-pop shops. Advertisement 'What have they done to my business? I don't know,' one local business owner shared with Fox News affiliate KKTV. 'I have to go inside and see what's going on. I don't know what they have done with the business.' 8 A shoe sits on the floor in an empty Adidas store attacked by looters in Los Angeles. ALLISON DINNER/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock 8 Workers board up a CVS pharmacy after it was looted by rioters in Los Angeles on June 10, 2025. REUTERS One video, taken by Brendan Gutenschwager, captured looters ransacking an Apple storefront on Monday night. Advertisement The video captured a slew of individuals dashing up to the technology storefront and grabbing goods before dispersing as police arrived. The footage captured the store's glass windows spray-painted with 'F— ICE.' Other photos showed ransackers disappearing into the night with stolen goods after a smash-and-grab in Compton, a city south of Los Angeles. It was unclear if the thieves were participating in the ongoing anti-ICE protests or if they were being opportunistic of the city's unrest. Advertisement 'Let me be clear: ANYONE who vandalized Downtown or looted stores does not care about our immigrant communities,' Mayor Karen Bass said in a post to X. 'You will be held accountable.' On Tuesday and Wednesday, after continued protests, other businesses set out to protect their stores. Fox News Digital saw a T-Mobile store on the corner of 3rd Street and Broadway boarding up ahead of likely another night of protests in the city. While a security guard protected the property, a repairer worked on the CVS store on the corner of 7th and Spring streets in downtown Los Angeles after several nights of rioting. Attorney General Pam Bondi offered a blunt message to would-be robbers and looters in the deep-blue city on 'Fox & Friends' Tuesday. Advertisement 'If you loot a business in California during this, we're charging you with robbery under the Hobbs Act. No longer are the days of non-prosecution for looting. It's a criminal act,' she said. 8 Police officers detained masked protesters after a demonstration near Los Angeles City Hall on June 11, 2025. AFP via Getty Images The administration is also determined to crack down on those who inflict harm on law enforcement. 'We've all made over 190 arrests, [and] more [are] coming. If you hit a police officer, you assault a police officer, state or federal, we are coming after you.'
Fox News
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
California looters now face 'hard-charging' consequences after blue state abandoned soft-on-crime approach
Amid the continuing unrest and flash mob-style looting incidents in Los Angeles, California is making a significant pivot toward tougher criminal enforcement. Criminal defense attorney David Wohl told Fox News Digital that the legal consequences are no longer a slap on the wrist for looters following the reversal of Proposition 47, which notably did not criminalize theft under $950. "Now we have a very conservative, hard-charging DA in Los Angeles," Wohl said. "He's adding up what is stolen by each individual co-defendant, and if that's over $950, everybody's getting charged with felonies." In a city once known for turning a blind eye to petty theft and soft prosecution, looters who are taking advantage of protests over federal immigration operations now face stricter penalties. In 2014, California voters approved Proposition 47, a ballot initiative that reclassified several nonviolent felonies, including shoplifting, theft and drug possession, as misdemeanors if the value involved was $950 or less. Supporters argued the measure would reduce prison overcrowding and redirect state funds to additional programming. Critics argued that it contributed to a noticeable increase in retail theft and emboldened looters. In 2024, voters voiced their concerns and overwhelmingly chose a sharp course correction from the progressive reforms that Proposition 47 implemented and voted in favor of Proposition 36. Prop 36 restored the ability to file felony charges against repeat offenders, regardless of whether their latest crime falls under the $950 limit. It also enhances penalties for group theft and organized looting, which had previously fallen into legal gray zones under Prop 47. The shift stems from a growing rejection of the previous criminal justice model championed by former District Attorney George Gascon, who Wohl described as "more liberal than a lot of public defenders." Under Gascon's leadership, prosecution was often delayed or diminished, with an emphasis on giving offenders "second, third, fourth, fifth chances," Wohl said. William Jacobson, a law professor at Cornell University and founder of offered a sharp critique of California's criminal justice policies in light of the emergence of looters during the ongoing L.A. protests against immigration enforcement. "Looting and violence have always been illegal, even in California," Jacobson told Fox News Digital. "Unfortunately, California's lax enforcement of the criminal laws, including the former decriminalization of shoplifting, has created a culture of criminality that has played out in numerous riots over the years." "The current riots against immigration enforcement and violence targeting both ICE and the community are part of the California political ecosystem," he said. Several stores across downtown Los Angeles were hit by looters in the early morning hours as anti-ICE riots continued. On Monday night, looters took to the streets and ransacked a series of storefronts, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed with Fox News Digital. Apple and Adidas were among the stores hit by thieves, as well as several mom-and-pop shops. "What have they done to my business? I don't know," one local business owner shared with Fox News affiliate KKTV. "I have to go inside and see what's going on. I don't know what they have done with the business." WATCH: One video, taken by Brendan Gutenschwager, captured looters ransacking an Apple storefront on Monday night. The video captured a slew of individuals dashing up to the technology storefront and grabbing goods before dispersing as police arrived. The footage captured the store's glass windows spray-painted with "F--- ICE." Other photos showed ransackers disappearing into the night with stolen goods after a smash-and-grab in Compton, a city south of Los Angeles. It was unclear if the thieves were participating in the ongoing anti-ICE protests or if they were being opportunistic of the city's unrest. "Let me be clear: ANYONE who vandalized Downtown or looted stores does not care about our immigrant communities," Mayor Karen Bass said in a post to X. "You will be held accountable." On Tuesday and Wednesday, after continued protests, other businesses set out to protect their stores. Fox News Digital saw a T-Mobile store on the corner of 3rd Street and Broadway boarding up ahead of likely another night of protests in the city. While a security guard protected the property, a repairer worked on the CVS store on the corner of 7th and Spring streets in downtown Los Angeles after several nights of rioting. Attorney General Pam Bondi offered a blunt message to would-be robbers and looters in the deep-blue city on "Fox & Friends" Tuesday. "If you loot a business in California during this, we're charging you with robbery under the Hobbs Act. No longer are the days of non-prosecution for looting. It's a criminal act," she said. The administration is also determined to crack down on those who inflict harm on law enforcement. "We've all made over 190 arrests, [and] more [are] coming. If you hit a police officer, you assault a police officer, state or federal, we are coming after you."
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
5 years after the pandemic started, COVID-19 is still around. Masks? Not so much.
Has your COVID-era mask been a constant companion or is it collecting dust? Americans' relationship with masking has been fraught (and politicized) since the beginning of the pandemic, a time when many balked at mandates to wear them while others wouldn't leave their home without that level of protection. Five years on, have we moved closer to a happy compromise? Mask requirements have largely ceased, and deciding whether to wear one is up to the individual. And some people do make that choice, particularly during cold and flu season, though polling suggests that masks are both less commonplace and a bit less polarizing these days. Here's how we got here — and what to know about the current state of masking in the U.S. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, you'd rarely see any Americans outside of an operating room wearing surgical masks — and you would probably raise a lot of eyebrows if you wore one in public. But Dr. David Wohl, a professor of infectious diseases at the University of North Carolina, tells Yahoo Life that in parts of Asia it was fairly common to mask up, especially when the wearer had a respiratory illness they didn't want to spread. As Voice of America (VOA) reports, people in countries such as China and Japan have been wearing masks for decades for many reasons — from blocking out air pollution to putting up a 'social firewall' to avoid awkward interactions on public transit. But masking became especially prevalent during the SARS outbreak in 2002; after that, it was normal for people, especially in congested cities, to wear a mask in public as a courtesy to others if they were feeling under the weather. Wohl says regular outbreaks of respiratory viruses in that part of the world likely led many people to incorporate mask-wearing into everyday life, along with 'a sense of responsibility to not pass an infection on to others.' In this way, masking became a common courtesy, almost like covering your mouth when you sneeze or cough — making surgical mask-wearing more of an altruistic act than one of self-preservation. 'I suppose wearing a mask, especially when I occasionally cough due to giving a lesson after some consecutive hours, makes others feel safe,' one Taipei middle school teacher told VOA at the beginning of the COVID pandemic. 'It's not just for myself, but a way to decrease the fear of people around me.' But here in the U.S., we don't have 'that same type of social consciousness,' Wohl says. 'We are more likely to wear masks to avoid infection rather than to prevent forward transmission of a germ to others.' Even at the peak of the pandemic, how much people masked depended a lot on where they lived, and that's likely still the case today. Dr. Jessica Justman, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at Columbia University, says it may be different elsewhere, but in New York City, where she works, it has become common to see some people masking up in public. Dr. Rachel Amdur, an assistant professor of medicine at Northwestern University, tells Yahoo Life that while the U.S. is likely not at the same level of comfort with wearing masks in public as countries in Asia, it's more common now to see people wearing masks in public here than it was before COVID arrived on the scene. And Dr. Dean Winslow, a professor of medicine at Stanford University, tells Yahoo Life that he still wears a mask when he's somewhere that's crowded and indoors. Masking up in more health care settings — not just inside an operating room — is also less of an anomaly, he adds. 'As health care providers we are still asked to wear a mask with face-to-face encounters with our patients to avoid, potentially, causing infection in our patients — many of whom are immunocompromised,' Winslow says. Wohl says he's 'heartened' when he sees people of all ages wearing masks in public places, like on airplanes and at supermarkets, and speculates that some of these maskers may have weaker immune systems, 'while others just are not in the mood to get sick.' And in California and areas affected by wildfire smoke, masking also saw a recent boost as health experts encouraged tight-fitting N95 masks to protect against dangerous particulates in the air. Still, recent polling from the Pew Research Center reveals that while mask-wearers are still out there, they are few and far between — and their numbers have plummeted since the beginning of the pandemic. According to Pew, 80% of Americans say they rarely or never wear a mask in stores or businesses. Four years ago, those numbers were reversed, with 88% of Americans saying they had worn a mask or face covering in stores all or most of the time in the past month. And while most Americans (74%) say they think it's extremely or very important for people who are sick to avoid contact with vulnerable people, they're less enthusiastic about taking action to protect others; 43% of Americans feel it's extremely or very important to wear a mask in crowded settings when you have cold-like symptoms. In fact, Pew found that masks are now so underutilized that even the divide between Republicans and Democrats has narrowed. Once highly politicized, frequent mask-wearing has now almost equally been discarded by both parties, with just 6% of Democrats and 2% of Republicans saying they frequently wore one in the past month. (The partisan differences were less stark, however, when asked if they had worn a mask at all recently — with 76% of Republicans and 47% of Democrats saying they had never masked up in the past month.) Our knowledge about masks — and what works and what doesn't — has evolved a lot over the past five years. Some of the cynicism about masks and whether they actually stem the spread of infection, Wohl says, was likely rooted in resistance to the mitigation measures that were enforced during the height of the pandemic — but that doesn't detract from their effectiveness. 'The reality is we may not like wearing masks, but they do protect us from getting and giving COVID-19 and other respiratory infections,' Wohl says. Of course, not all masks are created equal. Whereas pre-COVID, most of us not working in health care had never thought about the merits of an N95 versus a surgical mask, today, laypeople are much more informed. Wohl points out that any middle schooler could tell you that while a cloth bandana is no match for someone coughing in close quarters, and N95 respirators are the gold standard for protection, surgical masks are a good middle ground — striking a decent balance between cost, ease and effectiveness. Winslow says that when properly fitted, N95 masks provide excellent protection to both the wearer and those around them. 'However, N95 masks are uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time, need to be fitted and are quite expensive,' Winslow explains. 'In contrast, surgical procedure masks are inexpensive and comfortable to wear.' But while surgical masks do provide some protection to the wearer, Winslow says, they're most effective at preventing the wearer from spreading viruses to others. Still, Amdur says we 'have a long way to go' with understanding how masks work to prevent respiratory illness. In the meantime, she says it's probably a good idea to wear a mask in public if you have symptoms of an upper respiratory virus — such as nasal congestion, sore throat or fever — or if you're immunocompromised and in a crowded public space. Justman also suggests masking up when RSV, flu and COVID cases in your area are high.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
5 years after the pandemic started, COVID-19 is still around. Masks? Not so much.
Has your COVID-era mask been a constant companion or is it collecting dust? Americans' relationship with masking has been fraught (and politicized) since the beginning of the pandemic, a time when many balked at mandates to wear them while others wouldn't leave their home without that level of protection. Five years on, have we moved closer to a happy compromise? Mask requirements have largely ceased, and deciding whether to wear one is up to the individual. And some people do make that choice, particularly during cold and flu season, though polling suggests that masks are both less commonplace and a bit less polarizing these days. Here's how we got here — and what to know about the current state of masking in the U.S. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, you'd rarely see any Americans outside of an operating room wearing surgical masks — and you would probably raise a lot of eyebrows if you wore one in public. But Dr. David Wohl, a professor of infectious diseases at the University of North Carolina, tells Yahoo Life that in parts of Asia it was fairly common to mask up, especially when the wearer had a respiratory illness they didn't want to spread. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. As Voice of America (VOA) reports, people in countries such as China and Japan have been wearing masks for decades for many reasons — from blocking out air pollution to putting up a 'social firewall' to avoid awkward interactions on public transit. But masking became especially prevalent during the SARS outbreak in 2002; after that, it was normal for people, especially in congested cities, to wear a mask in public as a courtesy to others if they were feeling under the weather. Wohl says regular outbreaks of respiratory viruses in that part of the world likely led many people to incorporate mask-wearing into everyday life, along with 'a sense of responsibility to not pass an infection on to others.' In this way, masking became a common courtesy, almost like covering your mouth when you sneeze or cough — making surgical mask-wearing more of an altruistic act than one of self-preservation. 'I suppose wearing a mask, especially when I occasionally cough due to giving a lesson after some consecutive hours, makes others feel safe,' one Taipei middle school teacher told VOA at the beginning of the COVID pandemic. 'It's not just for myself, but a way to decrease the fear of people around me.' But here in the U.S., we don't have 'that same type of social consciousness,' Wohl says. 'We are more likely to wear masks to avoid infection rather than to prevent forward transmission of a germ to others.' Even at the peak of the pandemic, how much people masked depended a lot on where they lived, and that's likely still the case today. Dr. Jessica Justman, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at Columbia University, says it may be different elsewhere, but in New York City, where she works, it has become common to see some people masking up in public. Dr. Rachel Amdur, an assistant professor of medicine at Northwestern University, tells Yahoo Life that while the U.S. is likely not at the same level of comfort with wearing masks in public as countries in Asia, it's more common now to see people wearing masks in public here than it was before COVID arrived on the scene. And Dr. Dean Winslow, a professor of medicine at Stanford University, tells Yahoo Life that he still wears a mask when he's somewhere that's crowded and indoors. Masking up in more health care settings — not just inside an operating room — is also less of an anomaly, he adds. 'As health care providers we are still asked to wear a mask with face-to-face encounters with our patients to avoid, potentially, causing infection in our patients — many of whom are immunocompromised,' Winslow says. Wohl says he's 'heartened' when he sees people of all ages wearing masks in public places, like on airplanes and at supermarkets, and speculates that some of these maskers may have weaker immune systems, 'while others just are not in the mood to get sick.' And in California and areas affected by wildfire smoke, masking also saw a recent boost as health experts encouraged tight-fitting N95 masks to protect against dangerous particulates in the air. Still, recent polling from the Pew Research Center reveals that while mask-wearers are still out there, they are few and far between — and their numbers have plummeted since the beginning of the pandemic. According to Pew, 80% of Americans say they rarely or never wear a mask in stores or businesses. Four years ago, those numbers were reversed, with 88% of Americans saying they had worn a mask or face covering in stores all or most of the time in the past month. And while most Americans (74%) say they think it's extremely or very important for people who are sick to avoid contact with vulnerable people, they're less enthusiastic about taking action to protect others; 43% of Americans feel it's extremely or very important to wear a mask in crowded settings when you have cold-like symptoms. In fact, Pew found that masks are now so underutilized that even the divide between Republicans and Democrats has narrowed. Once highly politicized, frequent mask-wearing has now almost equally been discarded by both parties, with just 6% of Democrats and 2% of Republicans saying they frequently wore one in the past month. (The partisan differences were less stark, however, when asked if they had worn a mask at all recently — with 76% of Republicans and 47% of Democrats saying they had never masked up in the past month.) Our knowledge about masks — and what works and what doesn't — has evolved a lot over the past five years. Some of the cynicism about masks and whether they actually stem the spread of infection, Wohl says, was likely rooted in resistance to the mitigation measures that were enforced during the height of the pandemic — but that doesn't detract from their effectiveness. 'The reality is we may not like wearing masks, but they do protect us from getting and giving COVID-19 and other respiratory infections,' Wohl says. Of course, not all masks are created equal. Whereas pre-COVID, most of us not working in health care had never thought about the merits of an N95 versus a surgical mask, today, laypeople are much more informed. Wohl points out that any middle schooler could tell you that while a cloth bandana is no match for someone coughing in close quarters, and N95 respirators are the gold standard for protection, surgical masks are a good middle ground — striking a decent balance between cost, ease and effectiveness. Winslow says that when properly fitted, N95 masks provide excellent protection to both the wearer and those around them. 'However, N95 masks are uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time, need to be fitted and are quite expensive,' Winslow explains. 'In contrast, surgical procedure masks are inexpensive and comfortable to wear.' But while surgical masks do provide some protection to the wearer, Winslow says, they're most effective at preventing the wearer from spreading viruses to others. Still, Amdur says we 'have a long way to go' with understanding how masks work to prevent respiratory illness. In the meantime, she says it's probably a good idea to wear a mask in public if you have symptoms of an upper respiratory virus — such as nasal congestion, sore throat or fever — or if you're immunocompromised and in a crowded public space. Justman also suggests masking up when RSV, flu and COVID cases in your area are high.
