Macabre Surgical Masks to Fend Off H1N1, aka Swine Flu

The term ‘swine flu’ is no more. The USDA says that since pigs can’t get swine flu, U.S. citizens should refer to the disease that will kill you as ‘H1N1,’ not ‘swine flu.’ Either way, people are taking wearing masks in stride, even celebrating the need to wear a surgical mask.

For what it’s worth, the H1N1 virus is small enough to still be inhaled through a surgical mask—that means wearing one is completely useless. These masks have nevertheless become the statement accessory du jour as the swine flu outbreak continues to spread.