Ask the Answer Person: Should tennis players wear masks?

Kari emails: "I've driven by the hs/city tennis courts in the evenings lately and there are LOTS of young people playing tennis and none of them are wearing masks. Is this a school-sponsored thing or just kids playing together. And, masks??"

Winneshiek County Public Health Director Krista Vanden Brink says: The level of safety on the tennis court depends on two things -- how many people there are and what type of activity they're doing. A regular tennis match between two or four people usually means everyone is six feet apart, so masks aren't neccessary. If people go to socialize at the net or break that six foot distance, that's a different story. Furthermore, if the activities happening are drills or games, it might not mean everyone is six feet apart.

In addition, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) guidelines state, "Masks are a critical preventive measure and are most essential in times when social distancing is difficult...People who are engaged in high intensity activities, like running, may not be able to wear a mask if it causes difficulty breathing. If unable to wear a mask, consider conducting the activity in a location with greater ventilation and air exchange (for instance, outdoors versus indoors) and where it is possible to maintain physical distance from others."