Masks vs face shields: Which is best? Medical expert explains

Samuel Lingle said he wasn’t worried about coronavirus until it took a personal toll.

“How I figured it was really dangerous was when my close friend passed away from it. He had no health problem,” Lingle told Action News Jax.

Lingle said now you can’t catch him without a mask.

“It’s groups of people that scare me – going into stores or shelters or the library -- wherever you might be that, there’s a lot of groups of people,” he said.

Action News Jax reported earlier in the week when Duval County school leaders released revised plans for reopening campuses in August.

Safety measures include face shields for Kindergarten through 2nd grade students.

“The face mask is what everyone needs to wear to really protect themselves,” Action News Jax medical expert Dr. Michelle Aquino said.

“The droplets go in the air and then they fall on you, and, so they can fall in the mouth and they’re gonna fall in the nose” the doctor with Baptist Health added.

She said masks fit snugly around your nose and mouth. According to Aquino, she doesn’t wear a face shield without a mask underneath.

She also said shields do protect the eyes – another area that could be vulnerable.

“Can you transmit it through the eye biologic? It makes sense. If you get a droplet on the eyeball possibility of an infection is a possibility,” Aquino said.

Lingle said he’s all for wearing masks all the time.

“I’d rather be safe than sorry, honestly. I think everyone should wear their masks,” Lingle said.

Cox Media Group