Not All Prevention Is Created Equal

I've been hearing a lot lately about different health agencies (like in California and New York) considering implementing mask mandates or requiring COVID-19 vaccinations. The goal behind this is (and always has been) to protect as many people as possible from getting and spreading COVID-19.

But, why are masks and vaccines the best option? A lot of it comes down to optimizing prevention methods, which reminded me about the types of prevention. Not all prevention methods are the same, and some are more impactful than others. Primary prevention intervenes sooner and has a bigger impact than secondary or even tertiary prevention methods. I break it down and give examples of the different types of prevention here.