TYPES OF MASKS

MASKING UP Which type of face mask is best for you? Grace Jennings | Staff Reporter

Do you want to go shopping? Or to the grocery store? To work or school? Then you have to wear a mask.

Since June 29, citizens of Duval County have been required to wear a mask in response to COVID-19. This is a strategy to keep yourself and those around you safe, but which mask should you choose?

There are a range of different masks to choose from. Some may be quick to think that these masks all do the same thing. However, these different types of masks fall on a spectrum of efficiency.

Lisa Maragakis, M.D., M.P.H., an expert in infection prevention, provided insight into how effective masks are in a study with Johns Hopkins Medicine.

“A mask helps contain small droplets that come out of your mouth and/or nose when you talk, sneeze or cough.” Maragakis said. “If you have COVID-19 and are not showing symptoms, a face mask reduces your chance of spreading the infection to others.”

One type of mask is a cloth mask, made of cotton or other fabrics. This type of mask usually ranges from about $6 to $15 in price.

“While cloth masks are not medical-grade, they may be helpful in non-patient settings to contain coughs and to remind people to not touch their face,” Maragakis said. “But they are not suitable for providing medical care to patients.”

Disposable masks are another option.

“Although they are not close fitting, blue disposable masks are fluid resistant and provide some protection against larger respiratory droplets from coughs and sneezes,” Maragakis said.

Another thing to consider when choosing a mask is its environmental impact. Suchetana Mukhopadhyay, an author from earth.org, explained that disposable surgical masks are made from plastic based materials. They have a long afterlife after being discarded and end up in a landfill or the ocean. This causes a problem that Mukhopadhyay believes will exceed the virus itself.

“Given that surgical masks are supposed to be worn for no longer than one day, their disposal- along with that of empty hand sanitizer bottles and soiled tissue papers- is leading to a massive trail of clinical waste in the environment.”

Here at Bishop Kenny, students are required to wear black, white or gray cloth masks of solid color or disposable masks.

Next time you put on a mask, consider the effectiveness and environmental impacts the mask may have. Remember that people can be infected and show no symptoms, so always mask up before going out.

KENNY KRAVINGS

Review of local Black-owned restaurants Sarah Roberts | Business and Managing Editor

Motion Sweets

1020 Park St. Historic Five Points Jacksonville, FL 32204 904-551-3665 @motionsweets

Motion Sweets in Five Points, owned by baker Megan V. Suggs, sells macaroons, custom cakes and other sweet treats. Currently, you can only order online and pick up from its location right across from Hawthorn Salon and Hawkers Asian Street Fare.

I had a chocolate frosted marshmallow brownie and a cinnamon roll, which cost me less than $10 in total. The cinnamon roll is twice the size of those from Pillsbury and the brownie compares to something you would see on “The Great British Bake Off,” only without the

Social House Coffee

4204 Herschel Street Jacksonville, FL 32210 904-805-7179 @social.house.coffee extravagant decorations. I took the cinnamon roll to go and heated it up when I got home. It was still light and fluffy, and had a good balance of cinnamon and sugar. The cream cheese frosting held a nice sugary taste.

The brownie frosting had a fudgy consistency and there were marshmallows under the frosting that helped lighten the richness of the brownie. Nonetheless, you would definitely need milk to eat the whole thing. Both sweets were delicious and worth the money.

If you are looking for a casual spot to do homework, or if you need a quick drink on your way to school from Avondale, Social House Coffee is the place to go. Run by former Jaguars wide receiver, Arrelious Benn, and his wife, Mariel, Social House Coffee has something for everyone, from cappuccinos, to cold brew and even macchiatos.

For non-coffee drinkers like me, a chai tea latte or classic hot chocolate are great alternatives. I enjoyed being able to watch the employees make my drink behind their glass shield. It was also nice to have the option to customize my drink. I ended up purchasing a chai tea latte and a lemon tart. The chai tea latte had an ideal amount of cinnamon that helped me focus on my work. The lemon tart, which was filled with chopped nuts, held a balanced taste of sweet and sour. Both the latte and lemon tart totaled around $6 and were well worth the money.

San Marco Chz Fry Co.

904-518-1779 @SanMarcoChzFryCo

For a late snack after school, San Marco Chz Fry Co. is the way to go. The food truck was started up by Jacksonville locals, Ty Banks and Brandon Richardson. Since the location of this food truck changes every day, they post their schedule on Facebook at the beginning of every week. I visited them while they were in Murray Hill for Food Truck Friday.

Their Buffalo fries were ready in less than 10 minutes and cost $11. The fries were loaded with cheese, ranch dressing, buffalo sauce, mac n cheese and chicken tender. The buffalo sauce was mild, and the mac and cheese was an unexpected addition that I really enjoyed. Unless you are hungry, plan to share the fries with a friend or take them home because you get so much with one box.