Submitted by the Washington State Department of Health

10. So the kids can go back to school. The best way to keep the kids safe at school is to make sure the level of COVID-19 in your community is very low. Wear a mask to make sure your community can keep your kids healthy at school.

9. So small businesses can open and stay open. The quickest way to open our economy is to control the virus. As more of our counties move to Phase 2 and 3, and more people are out and about, we need to make sure we keep the virus from spreading. Wear a cloth face covering to protect our businesses.

8. To be a leader in the community. Set a great example for others in your community. Take care of others and show them how it’s done.

7. Because it’s rude to make other people sick. You wouldn’t cough on someone or sneeze in their face. Now we have a new germ that can be spread to others when we talk or sing or breathe. Cover your face to keep your germs to yourself!

6. To show essential workers how much we appreciate them. Our essential workers have taken the risk to continue to go to work to keep us fed and to keep the services we all rely on running. Thank them by protecting their health by covering your face.

5. To express yourself. Make other people smile behind their masks! Some masks have slogans and other messages printed on them. Use your mask to express your freedom of speech and promote what you care about. Or, write your name on it — keep people from wondering who you are.

4. To leave the house. You know, at all. To go get your haircut. To see your friends and family.

3. To support your cause. Many non-profits are selling masks to raise money for a charity, and some will even match your mask purchase by donating masks to people who need them. Support your local school, human rights, environmental protection, access to health care, or any number of causes you support on your mask.

2. To save money on lipstick. Or cover a pimple. Or maybe because I haven’t had my upper lip waxed in months. Whatever. I have my reasons.

1. It literally saves lives. Fewer people will die if we all wear our masks. Who doesn’t want to be a part of that?

Need more reasons? Check out the Department of Health website and the Governor’s coronavirus page.

Practice compassion

If you see someone not wearing their mask, just respectfully leave them alone. Some people have medical reasons not to wear a mask.

More information

Information changes rapidly. Check the state’s COVID-19 website for up-to-date and reliable info at coronavirus.wa.gov.

Answers to your questions or concerns about COVID-19 in Washington state may be found at www.doh.wa.gov/coronavirus. You can also contact the DOH call center, 6 a.m.-10 p.m., seven days a week at 1–800–525–0127.