[General] Don’t put on your mask until

[Silverobama]

Hi.

I wrote the following sentence:

Don’t put on your mask until you are told that there are cases in your neighborhood.

I was chatting with a friend online and I told her to wear a mask where they’re many people. She said it’s not necessary because no case is reported these days.

The intended meaning: don’t wait till the moment when there are cases of COVID reported then to wear a mask, that’ll be too late.

I think the italic sentence is not natural. I was trying to use the structure “not until”. Would you please help me with it?

 

[tedmc]

How about:

Put on your (face) mask now. Don't wait until there are cases reported in your neighbourhood.
Don't wait until there are cases reported in your neighbourhood that you put on your mask.

 

[emsr2d2]

Your italic sentence gives the opposite message to the one you intended.

Don't put on your mask until cases are reported in your neighbourhood = Wait for cases to be reported before wearing a mask.

Tedmc has given you one good sentence (his sentence 1). Ted's sentence 2 was grammatically incorrect and should have been "Don't wait until there are cases reported in your neighbourhood before putting on your mask".

 

[Tdol]

Put your mask on now- if you wait for reports of cases in your neighbourhood, you will be too late.

 

[Tdol]

PS Aren't masks more about not infecting others than saving yourself?

 

[GoesStation]

PS Aren't masks more about not infecting others than saving yourself?

They were widely reported that way in the early days of the pandemic. Recent evidence shows, unsurprisingly, that they also protect the wearer.

 

[jutfrank]

PS Aren't masks more about not infecting others than saving yourself?

Ha! It depends on your point of view!

 

[Tdol]

We wear them regardless, indoors and outdoors, here in Japan, but not infecting others is a motive. Very few go maskless.