It is time to understand that the general public should not be wearing medical grade face masks.

Stocking up on surgical face masks that are in high demand for healthcare workers comes across as selfish. They are the people who are at a greater risk, due to treating patients who have tested positive for the novel Coronavirus, or COVID-19.

This debate of whether people should be wearing them or not has been a dividing question.

It is safe to say that wearing any sort of protection on your face gives the public a little bit of comfort in this stressful time.

But who really needs to wear masks, and what kind should they be wearing?

The CDC is recommending that people should be wearing cloth fabric masks when going out in public places.

Although these homemade masks will not filter out airborne toxins, they are meant to provide a barrier to protect others if you are infected and are asymptomatic (if you show no symptoms of COVID-19).

The general public should not be buying the Centers of Disease and Control Prevention (CDC) approved facepiece respirators face masks.

Prioritizing them for the healthcare workers is vital for the sake of their lives and the safety of others. Morally it should be important to think about the healthcare workers who have no other choice but to be on the frontline of this fight.

To help slow the spread of COVID-19 and save lives, we should do our part through social distancing and self isolation.

That is not to say that you should not be wearing any sort of facial protection while out in public. Inevitably there will be a time when you may need to go grocery shopping, visit a doctor’s appointment or leave the house for a necessity.

Making masks at home is simple and the CDC has provided a step-by-step process. By placing two rubber bands around a double folded bandana and securing the ends by tucking them in creates an effective facemask.

In short, you do not need to purchase any medical supplies in bulk.

The healthcare professionals are fighting this virus day-in and day-out and these workers are in need of medical supplies. Doing our part by staying home, washing your hands, and leaving the CDC approved facepiece respirators for these workers is crucial for the safety of everyone.