Panic buying of face masks is unwarranted and could pose risks for health workers, experts say

People who are well should refrain from hoarding masks 'just in case' they need it, as this may lead to a lack of masks in settings that really need it," said Annelies Wilder-Smith, a professor of emerging infectious diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine."While we should take the outbreak seriously, we mustn't panic and behave in a manner that is disproportionate to the threat we are confronted with," said Wilder-Smith, who was a front-line clinician at Singapore's Tan Tock Seng Hospital during the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak in 2003.In the United States and Canada — halfway around the world from the novel coronavirus' epicenter in central China — major retailers and medical supply stores have been reporting medical mask shortages since the start of this week. "It would likely be more beneficial to focus on the things that we know help — like frequent hand washing, avoiding touching your face, and not going out in public if you are sick," she said.Most of the data suggesting that wearing a mask can help prevent infections take place in institutionalized health-care settings, where there are trained personnel and other infection control measures in place.For those who are ill with respiratory symptoms, wearing a mask can prevent them from coughing or sneezing infectious particles into their surrounding environment, Sexton said, but little has been established about how standard face masks can prevent those who are well from being infected.Schaffner added that it is "striking" that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not recommend the use of masks for preventive purposes."The virus is not spreading in the general community," Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said in a briefing Thursday.