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Are masks still effective even when many aren鈥檛 wearing them? What experts say

People seem to be shedding masks at a rate not seen since last June, just before summer鈥檚 delta surge.

The odds are good that at least one person on a crowded flight would test positive for the coronavirus. In the UC San Francisco hospital system, for instance, the asymptomatic positivity rate as of Tuesday was about 2% 鈥 meaning 1 in 50 people were testing positive despite not showing any signs of illness, according to Dr. Robert Wachter, chair of the university鈥檚 Department of Medicine.

Applying that same ratio to a flight with 150 passengers would mean there鈥檚 a 鈥95% chance that at least one passenger has COVID,鈥 he noted on Twitter. San Francisco, Wachter added, 鈥渉as a relatively low COVID rate, so odds on a U.S. flight today are likely worse.鈥

So what do experts say about when and where it makes sense to don a mask?

Many stress that face coverings still offer strong protection against the coronavirus and that masking up still makes sense 鈥 even if wearing them is no longer mandatory.