Dear Editor,
I was scanning the latest issues of the newspaper when something in the article about the reopening of Fairfield library caught my eye.
The article states the library board has set rules for people entering the building. One of the rules states that “mask or face shields are required to enter.”
I was wondering if the library board was aware of the fact that the CDC and other COVID-19 Information organizations have stated that face shields are not a deterrent to spreading the COVID-19 virus and strongly recommends that face shields only be used in addition to face masks. Checking the CDC website (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-guidance.html#anchor_1604967124156) reveals that face shields leave too much open space around the face that allows any COVID-laden droplets to escape into the air.
I hope that the board reconsiders this part of their rules and will bring it into alignment with the CDC recommendations, especially now that additional variants of the virus are appearing in the US.
Richard O’Dell
Fairfield, Texas
