We wanted to know who’s wearing masks and who’s not in NYC, so we went to 14 places around the city and tallied the status of over 7,000 people. Here’s a thread on what we found:
nytimes.com/2020/08/20/nyr…
nytimes.com/2020/08/20/nyr…
Mask-wearing varies widely by neighborhood. In Flushing and Park Slope, over 95% of people were masked. In Far Rockaway, Queens: 62%. The boardwalk at Rockaway beach: 20%.
But almost everywhere we went, more men than women were walking around unmasked — usually a lot more. Men were nearly twice as likely as women to be maskless. 
Men were also more likely to be wearing masks in ways that left breathing orifices exposed – we see you, nostril-peekers and chinstrappers!
How hard the virus hit did not seem to have much to do with current mask rates. In Corona, Queens, a former virus epicenter, masks were everywhere. Far Rockaway had the city's 2nd highest death total, but low mask compliance.
We asked dozens of people why they weren’t wearing masks and got dozens of answers: It’s too hot. It’s hard to breathe. I wear one all day at work. The straps dig into my ears. The danger has passed.
Several people told us the whole mask/virus thing was a government hoax. 'If you’re telling me I can’t breathe God’s air, this country is bent over!' this man said.
Read our story, with field-reporting and nose-counting by @elishacbrown @MilitaJo @anniecorreal @Wadza_M @derek_m_norman @nateschweber @DSlotnik and the fine print on our methodology. nytimes.com/2020/08/20/nyr…
