Regarding masks, my oncology center (John Muir) requires employees to wear surgical masks and patients are given a surgical mask when they arrive and are required to wear it if they have not brought their own.
I happen to have N95 masks at home. They were left over from last year’s fire season.
My surgeon said that because I’m recovering from 2 surgeries and also on chemo, he didn’t want me wearing any masks other than the N95 ones that I have. He said that cloth masks and surgical masks can help an infected person not spread the virus, so he is in favor of them in general, but if I’m wearing one, and an infected person coughs on me, the cloth or surgical mask would actually hold the virus close to my mouth and nose increasing my chances of becoming infected.
I’m fortunate to have other adults here who can get groceries and run to the pharmacy for me so the only time I’m leaving the house is for doctor appointments. Still I am aware of the stigma of wearing an N95 mask when I’m not a healthcare professional on the front lines.
Fortunately, all of the nurses and my oncologist were happy to see me wearing one at appointments.
It is such an uncertain time. There are quite a few gray areas and I think it is only natural that our opinions are going to change as the situation changes and we get more information.