Wearing a mask has been promoted by public health experts across the world as one of the simplest and most effective ways to slow the spread of COVID-19. However, some people who refuse to wear masks have taken to carrying a fraudulent card that claims they are exempt from covering their faces in public.

The card, circulating online from the fictitious Freedom to Breathe Agency, claims the holder will incur mental or physical risk by wearing a mask. The card also alleges the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) forbids a business from asking the holder why they are not wearing a mask, which may result in fines.

The U.S. Department of Justice distributed an alert warning the public about the fraudulent cards and urging them to check the ADA’s website.

The online hoax comes as most of the United States is experiencing a record number of COVID-19 cases, a surge that occurred when many jurisdictions relaxed physical distancing restrictions.

Johns Hopkins Medicine recently released an updated infographic about how to properly wear a face mask. Our experts also recommend staying home as much as possible and reducing visitors; encourage washing hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; and provide guidance on what’s safe to do – and what to avoid – when going outside the home.

Gabor Kelen, M.D., director of the Department of Emergency Medicine, and Lisa Maragakis, M.D., M.P.H, senior director of infection prevention at Johns Hopkins are available to discuss this topic with media.

For information from Johns Hopkins Medicine about the coronavirus pandemic, visit hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus. For information on the coronavirus from throughout the Johns Hopkins enterprise, including the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and The Johns Hopkins University, visit coronavirus.jhu.edu.