Another item that seems criminal from a policy perspective, the CDC should have a very comprehensive Wiki about masking and face shields and gloves.
Tell us what to use when, and how.
Grade the PPE on some level and allow Amazon to highlight where they meet certain grades of PPE.
This would allow schools to say you must be this tall to ride this ride.
I feel like I follow this super close, I watch the major youtube channels, follow the reddit subs, and look at the international coverage and I have NO ####### IDEA what PPE is effective or necessary to go get a 12 oz. ribeye.
My relatively informed opinion on this topic:
The average person, with average exposure risk, should wear a face covering of some sort when indoors with other people, and outdoors if unable to maintain social distancing. They should fit snugly over the mouth and nose, with the metal band up and molded over the bridge of the nose. While N95+ are better than surgical are better than cloth masks, the general public doesn't need the high-end masks for source control, which is the primary goal of masks. Most surgical masks are intended to be single use, as moisture from your breath degrades them over time, but a reused mask is better than nothing. When donning and doffing the mask, consider the outer surface contaminated, so minimize contact with it and sanitize your hands after handling.
The general public doesn't need face shields or goggles, but they probably incrementally decrease risk a small amount.
Gloves aren't needed for regular interactions (ie. not involving potential exposure to infected body fluids) either, as hand washing works just as well, provided you're doing it right - 20+ seconds warm water + soap, paying attention to cleanse the entire hand/fingers/nails/etc. Hand sanitizer is a decent surrogate while on-the-go, but avoid methanol-based cleansers, as they can be absorbed through the skin.
Everybody should practice good cough hygiene (cough into inner elbow, away from others) and be extra diligent about hand hygiene when touching high use surfaces. And avoid crowded areas/events for the foreseeable future.
Kids won't likely follow any of these rules, so I don't think the people contemplating limiting school openings are idiots by any means. I know some parents are at wits end, but that doesn't change our risk appraisal when considering our course of action.