About
About COVID States
Learn about the project →
People
Meet the consortium →
Learning
Hands-on training→
Publications
Reports
Read all of our reports →
Publications
Read selected project papers →
Topics
Children and Youth
Explore this topic →
Economic Impact
Explore this topic →
Election
Explore this topic →
Executive Approval
Explore this topic →
Health Behavior
Explore this topic →
Mental Health
Explore this topic →
Misinformation
Explore this topic →
Policy Preferences
Explore this topic →
Schools
Explore this topic →
Testing
Explore this topic →
Vaccination
Explore this topic →
Other
Explore this topic →
Browse by Tag →
Data
Behaviors during COVID
View the tracker →
COVID-19 Tweets
View the tracker→
Trust in Institutions
View the tracker→
Vaccination Rates
View the tracker→
Views on Abortion
View the tracker→
Executive Approval
View the tracker→
Media Coverage
News articles
View selected media coverage →
Journalist resources
Inquiries →
Insights

Join Mailing ListContact Us
Home
About
About COVID States
Learn about the project →
People
Meet the consortium →
Publications
Reports
Read all of our reports →
Publications
Read selected project papers →
Topics
Children and Youth
Explore this topic →
Economic Impact
Explore this topic →
Election
Explore this topic →
Executive Approval
Explore this topic →
Health Behavior
Explore this topic →
Mental Health
Explore this topic →
Misinformation
Explore this topic →
Policy Preferences
Explore this topic →
Schools
Explore this topic →
Testing
Explore this topic →
Vaccination
Explore this topic →
Other
Explore this topic →
Data
Behaviors During COVID
View the tracker→
COVID-19 Tweets
View the tracker→
Trust in Institutions
View the tracker→
Vaccination Rates
View the tracker→
Views on Abortion
View the tracker→
Executive Approval
View the tracker→
Media Coverage
News articles
View selected news coverage →
Journalist resources
Inquiries→
Insights

Report #

78

American mask use and CDC guidance

By the COVID-19 Consortium for Understanding the Public’s Policy Preferences Across States

Home
/
Publications
/
Reports
/
American mask use and CDC guidance

Key takeaways

● 64% of Americans use cloth masks, with just 21% saying they use N95 or equivalent masks. 

● A majority (54%) think that the CDC currently recommends N95 masks for all Americans. Note that these data were collected prior to the CDC’s change in guidance of January 14, 2022, which “Clarified that people can choose respirators such as N95s and KN95s.” 

● Democrats, vaccinated individuals, Whites, those with higher incomes, and respondents with more education are more likely to incorrectly identify N95s as the CDC’s recommended mask-type. 

● Roughly two-thirds (66%) of Americans correctly identify N95 masks as more protective than cloth masks, while roughly one-quarter of respondents (26%) are unsure of whether cloth or N95 masks offer the wearer more protection. 

● Vaccinated individuals, Democrats, those with more education, higher incomes, Whites, and older Americans (50 and above) are more likely to correctly say that N95s offer greater protection than cloth masks. 

Featured media Coverage

No items found.

Tags

Health Behavior
CDC
Masks



Report details

Published:
January
2022
Report Number:
78
Topic:
Health Behavior
OSF Preprint:
View  
Download report   

Related Reports

Report #
96
December
2022
State of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Health Behavior

Report #
51
May
2021
Trajectory of health-related behaviors in California
Health Behavior

Report #
42
February
2021
Trajectory of health-related behaviors in New York
Health Behavior

Report #
41
February
2021
Trajectory of health-related behaviors in New Jersey
Health Behavior

Join our mailing list to receive updates about new reports, findings, and datasets!
Join Mailing List
A multi-university collaboration
About
About COVID States
People
Learning
Insights
Publications
Reports
Journal Publications
Topics
Children and Youth
Economic Impact
Election
Executive Approval
Health Behavior
Mental Health
Misinformation
Policy Preferences
Schools
Testing
Vaccination
Other
Data
Behaviors during COVID
COVID-19 Tweets
Trust in Institutions
Vaccination Rates
Views on Abortion
Media
News articles
Journalist resources
© 2022  The COVID-19 Consortium for Understanding the Public’s Policy Preferences Across States
Contact us