During the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, Americans were warned that "spit spreads death." One announcement in the San Francisco Chronicle read: "The man or woman or child who will not wear a mask now is a dangerous slacker."

Apparently, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

In a recent JAMA paper, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention affirmed that cloth face coverings are an effective way to fight the COVID-19 virus, particularly when they're worn by everyone.

They also recently published a case study of a hair salon in which both stylists were infected with COVID-19, but not one of their 139 clients contracted the virus. Why? In large measure, because everyone wore masks.

Masks are more likely to be worn if government leadership encourages it. (It's mandated or recommended in more than 160 countries.) But failing that, it's up to you to institute consistent and effective use. Here are some best practices for mask-wearing:

• Wash your hands before putting on your mask.

• Place your mask securely over your nose and mouth, and under your chin.

• Take it off correctly. Handle it only by the strings or elastic; wash your hands immediately after removing it.

• Wash your reusable cloth mask (ideally after each wearing) in the washing machine or soak it in hot, soapy water for at least five minutes; rinse well. For N95 masks, use dry heat at 158 F for one hour, and they will remain protective. Disposable, blue surgical masks cannot be laundered or cleaned.