Face masks are key to continuing our recovery

Thanks for The Herald’s June 16 editorial encouraging everyone to continue wearing a mask when in public. As the editorial pointed out, there is growing evidence that this is an effective way to reduce the transmission of the COVID-19 virus and probably also those which cause the flu.

All of us living in Snohomish County welcomed our recent move into Phase 2 of recovery from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, the virus has not gone away, and the vast majority of us remain at risk of contracting this potentially deadly disease and transmitting it to others, including possibly our friends and family.

That’s why we must continue to act responsibly by covering our coughs, washing our hands frequently, consistently wearing masks in public spaces, and maintaining a 6-foot physical distance with others. These simple, evidence-based practices will help us eventually move to Phase 3 and hopefully back to a more normal life over the coming months.

Dr. Jay Cook

chief medical officer

Providence Regional Medical Center Everett

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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), right, arrives to join Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) at a news conference on Capitol Hill after the House passed a stopgap bill to keep federal funding flowing past a Sept. 30 deadline on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. The House narrowly passed the bill on Friday, but the measure appears dead on arrival in the Senate, where Democrats have vowed to block it. (Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times)
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