The Case for Universal Cloth Mask Adoption and Policies to Increase Supply of Medical Masks for Health Workers “Our analysis suggests each cloth facemask generates thousands of dollars in value from reduced mortality risk. Each medical mask, when used by a healthcare worker, may generate millions of dollars in value.”
When we consider that in-hospital treatment can cost upward of $10,000, and also “The charges for someone without insurance or who received out-of-network care was estimated to be over $73,000,” this makes considerable sense. If a face mask prevents even one case, this can save thousands of dollars even if in-hospital care is not required. As health care workers are in a position to infect dozens of people if they have the disease, it is important that they not get it in the first place or, if they are unlucky enough to get it, not give it to others.