This document discusses universal masking in hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic. While masks provide little protection outside healthcare settings, they may offer benefits within hospitals. First, masks are important personal protective equipment for healthcare workers interacting with symptomatic patients. Additionally, masks may help reduce transmission from asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic healthcare workers to other staff and patients. However, masks alone provide only slight protection if the eyes are exposed or the mask is touched. Universal masking policies in hospitals aim to reduce transmission, but may give a false sense of security and increase face touching. The greatest impact may be reducing anxiety.