Consumers and COVID-19: Survey Results on Mask-Wearing Behaviors and Beliefs
Edward S. Knotek, Raphael Schoenle, Alexander Dietrich, Gernot J. Müller, Kristian Ove R. Myrseth, Michael Weber
Abstract
Masks or cloth face coverings have the potential to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 without greatly disrupting economic activity if they are widely used. To assess the state of mask wearing, we surveyed US consumers about their recent and prospective mask-wearing behavior. We find that most respondents are wearing masks in public but that some respondents are less likely to follow social-distancing guidelines while doing so, indicating a potential tradeoff between two of the recommended methods that jointly reduce coronavirus transmission. While most respondents indicated that they were extremely likely to wear a mask if required by public authorities, the reported likelihood is strongly dependent on age and perceived mask efficacy.