“[Face shields] are not a substitute at all for masks,” says Dr. Monica Gandhi, the associate division chief of the Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine at UCSF/San Francisco General Hospital. “Because they have the side openings, you can expose others while you’re breathing out. There’s very little evidence that they help in transmission. The main places where respiratory viruses exit the body are the nose and mouth and those are the places you want to cover.” That said, Ghandi notes that a plastic face shield is better than nothing. “Having a bare face is least desirable. Face masks are the best option,” she says. “But face shields are an option for people who can’t wear masks.” Here are some options to consider.
