As health care professionals risk their lives all around us because they lack personal protective gear, we continue to see people out in public — often clearly on nonessential trips — wearing face masks. There have been reports of people buying large quantities of them.

If you have the masks and do not really need them — and few of us do — consider giving them to a local hospital or other health care facility. The same goes for other types of protective gear, such as disposable coveralls.

Some people really do need the masks to safeguard their own health. Do not judge anyone you see wearing one; you may not be aware of a health condition that puts that person at heightened risk.

Again, however, if you have a stock of the masks and do not have a legitimate need for them, get them to the health care professionals who require them to continue doing their jobs — of keeping the rest of us safe from the COVID-19 virus.