 [ Symptoms ] can a mask prevent swine flu [ Disease ] while a mask could theoretically help prevent swine flu it is a bit much for most people and really not necessary   sure if someone is coughing or sneezing in your face a mask might help also if you know that you are going to be around someone with swine flu such as a loved one a mask might be warranted but otherwise that is not the most effective strategy for preventing swine flu because you do not catch most respiratory viruses from people coughing in your face here is what generally happens someone with a virus sneezes or coughs in their hand then they touch something like an elevator button or a doorknob you come along a few minutes later and touch that same button or knob then without thinking about it you touch your face    your mouth nose or eyes    and the virus takes hold of you as mundane as it sounds the most effective way to prevent getting respiratory viruses like swine flu is washing your hands but most of us do not do it often enough and do not do it the right way